Pills and local remedies for the treatment of spinal hernia

With an intervertebral hernia of the lumbar spine, the patient is constantly worried about pain, and local medicines and tablets help to cope with it.

The destruction of the disc in the lumbar region is a chronic process with periods of remission and exacerbation, therefore, throughout life, it is necessary to engage in supportive treatment in order not to bring a serious condition closer, which will become an indication for surgery.

Drug treatment of intervertebral hernia of the lumbar includes etiotropic and symptomatic drugs. The key goal of therapy is to stop the destruction of the intervertebral disc, and this will already help to remove the manifestations of pathology.

Treatment of a hernia of the spine

For the treatment of intervertebral hernia of the lumbar spine, medications, physiotherapy, manual therapy, massage, diet, bandage and many other activities are prescribed. It is impossible to get rid of this disease by one method, a lumbar hernia is an irreversible process, and doctors can only stop the pathology and improve the patient's condition.

Comprehensive treatment at the initial stage of a hernia of the lumbar spine:

• normalization of the regime of rest and physical work;
• changing habits associated with physical inactivity and poor posture;
• restoration of mobility in the diseased back with the help of exercise therapy;
• elimination of the symptomatic complex with drugs and exercises;
• diet, normalization of vitamin balance;
• regular wearing of a bandage during physical work and during exacerbation.

Medicines for a hernia of the lumbar spine are taken depending on the severity of the course of the disease and the characteristics of the general condition of the patient.

For some patients, the doctor may prescribe mild painkillers for a single dose at the time of the onset of pain, while for others he prescribes potent analgesics when pain interferes with self-care.

Medical therapy

Treatment of a hernia of the lumbar spine with medicines includes:

1. NSAIDs - tablets, injections and local remedies for pain relief, removal of the inflammatory process, elimination of edema and fever. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs block enzymes that are involved in the formation of an inflammatory focus. More often, funds are prescribed in the form of an ointment or gel, because their long-term oral use affects the state of the digestive tract, which can lead to peptic ulcer and erosive processes. The attending physician may prescribe Diclofenac in the form of ointment and tablets.
2. Chondroprotectors are slow-acting homeopathic remedies that promote the regeneration of cartilage tissue. Such drugs are not necessary to take, they do not guarantee an improvement in the condition of the disc, and many doctors do not consider it necessary to include them in the drug treatment. They are available in the form of tablets and ointments. Chondroprotectors for hernia should be taken and applied to the affected area for at least two months in order to note a positive trend.
3. Glucocorticoids - steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are prescribed in a short course. The drugs of this group are addictive, because their use is indicated more often in a hospital setting, outpatient treatment includes glucocorticoid analogues. They have a pronounced anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, representatives - Dexamethasone and Diprospan.
4. Muscle relaxants - prevent squeezing of the nerve roots by relaxing the muscles. Such drugs for the treatment of intervertebral hernia are effective in case of pain due to muscle spasm. The drug Mydocalm is more often prescribed.
5. Symptomatic drugs - sedatives, antidepressants, to protect the gastric mucosa.
6. Local remedies - ointments, gels, creams, compresses for local anesthesia, stimulation of blood outflow from the diseased area and prevention of edema.

Etiotropic drugs

Medicines for intervertebral hernia should act directly on the causes of the pathology, and one of them is malnutrition of the disc and vertebra. Without movement in the lumbar region, stagnation occurs, which leads to swelling and failure of local blood circulation. This is manifested by aching pain and gradually leads to further destruction of weakened tissues. To influence this process, drug treatment of hernia includes vasodilators, decongestants, and hormonal agents.

Effective drugs for herniated disc in the lumbar:

• Karipazim - is used for hernia in the form of an ointment, combined with electrophoresis, but is not effective in itself, therefore it is always indicated in combination with tablets;
• Dexamethasone - is indicated for pain and inflammation, which occurs during an exacerbation, after a load on the back or due to injury, but its long-term use is fraught with problems with cartilage tissue;
• Actovegin - restores the deficiency of glucose and oxygen in cells, promotes the regeneration of damaged structures.

Each drug, if the dosage regimen and frequency of administration are not observed, becomes dangerous.

Most hernia remedies can be purchased at a pharmacy without a doctor's prescription, but this does not eliminate the need for an examination. In order not to have to eliminate the consequences of self-treatment in the future, it is recommended to strictly follow the doctor's prescription. Preparations for the treatment of hernia negatively affect cartilage tissue, provoke fragility and deterioration of elasticity, and many muscle relaxants reduce pressure, and it is important to consider all the features of their action before starting treatment.

Chondroprotectors

Chondroprotective drugs are distinguished by the main active ingredients and the form of release. They are more suitable for the treatment of joint pathology, but their direct effect on cartilage tissue allows achieving positive dynamics in the restoration of structures surrounding the diseased vertebra.

It is not effective to treat the lumbar region only with chondroprotectors, therefore preparations based on glucosamine and chondroxide are considered as additional means.

The drug Alflutop with a hernia in the lumbar stimulates the growth of cartilage tissue due to the content of cartilage and bone marrow of animals, and drugs based on chondroitinsulfuric acid simultaneously remove pain and prevent the destruction of cartilage.

Using a chondroprotective ointment for a hernia of the lumbar spine, the desired result can also be achieved, but as the reviews of doctors and patients show, this is the least effective form of medicine.

What chondroprotectors are prescribed for lumbar hernia:

• based on chondroitin sulfate - Artron, Chondrolon, Mukosat;
• on the basis of animal cartilage - Rumalon;
• based on glucosamine - Don, Artron Flex;
• combined - Artron complex, Teraflex;
• chondroprotectors with NSAIDs - Artrodar.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

With a hernia of the lumbar spine, NSAIDs are prescribed in the form of ointments, gels, tablets, and they are valued due to their analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. The drugs of this group help with pain of mild severity, and when accompanying symptoms in the form of migraines and muscle aches disturb. They also have an immunosuppressive and antipyretic effect.

Anti-inflammatory drugs for hernia of the lumbar:

• acetylsalicylic acid (Aspro, Aspirin) - in small doses (up to 330 mg) leads to inhibition of platelet aggregation, a large dose (from 4 g) has an anti-inflammatory effect, an average dose (from 1.5 to 2 g) leads to mild pain relief and removes heat;
• the drug Diflunisal - has a strong analgesic effect, is indicated for severe pain syndrome;
• Phenylbutazone - prescribed for intramuscular injection and oral administration in a short course, can cause severe complications from the circulatory system.

Symptomatic medications

To ensure normal tolerability of therapy, the following agents are prescribed:

• biogenic stimulants - enzymes, pentoxifylline, aloe extract, substances that increase the body's resistance, which is important during the period of active hernia treatment with various medicines;
• vitamin complexes - vitamins of groups B, E and D are necessary to reduce pain, inhibit sensitive receptors, accelerate regeneration at the cellular level;
• antidepressants - will help with insomnia that has arisen against the background of chronic pain and neurological symptoms.

List of drugs to eliminate individual symptoms of a hernia in the lumbar:

• Ibuprofen - with mild pain in the diseased spine, it will eliminate the feeling of squeezing and stiffness due to muscle spasm, you need to take the drug once in order to exclude adverse reactions from the gastrointestinal tract, the recommended daily dose should not exceed 400 mg;
• Diclofenac - this drug and its analogues (Dikloberl, Allavoran, Diklak) are prescribed more often than other NSAIDs for disc pathology in the lumbar region, they anesthetize and relieve the inflammatory process;
• Tenoxicam - NSAIDs, is prescribed in the form of rectal suppositories, tablets, treatment is also carried out with ointments based on it and analogues - Tenoctil, Tobilit, the agent is prescribed for a single dose at a dose of up to 0.04 g;
• Ketoprofen is another effective anti-inflammatory drug in the complex treatment of lumbar intervertebral hernia, prescribed up to 3 times a day;
• Naproxen - is prescribed aimed at eliminating pain in the lower back, is indicated in a small dose up to 2 times a day, exceeding the permissible concentration of the substance can lead to internal bleeding and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

Ointments for hernia in the lumbar region

At the initial stage of a hernia, pain relief and relaxation of the back muscles is carried out by local means in the form of ointments, gels, compresses based on anti-inflammatory substances. More often, after diagnosing a hernia, doctors prescribe combined agents that simultaneously have analgesic, anti-inflammatory, resolving and irritating effects.

NSAIDs in the form of ointments are indicated for chronic pain, radicular and spinal syndrome. The most famous representatives of this group are Nise and Fastum gels, Voltaren and Ketonal ointments.

With a hernia in the lumbar region, it is effective to use the following local remedies:

• homeopathic ointments - Traumeel S, Cel T, herbal preparations in combination with mineral components, have an immunostimulating and anti-edematous effect, stimulate blood flow in the area of ​​application;
• balms Dikul, Sofya, comfrey ointment - shown in combination with a back massage, they consist of herbal ingredients, but their independent use is not effective;
• irritants - Kapsikam, Apizatron, drugs help accelerate blood circulation, help with muscle pain, symptoms that occur after back strain;
• chondroprotective ointments - Chondroxide, Atrocin, funds help restore the water-salt balance, accelerate regenerative processes.

From traditional medicine, doctors may recommend locally irritating - Viprosal, Viparin, Vipratoks, which contain snake or bee venom. These substances are not allowed for everyone, they have a large number of contraindications, including the period of pregnancy and the presence of severe pathologies of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Warming and cooling agents are effective as a quick relief for acute pain and after a spinal injury.

Some drugs cannot be combined, as well as several drugs based on the same active ingredient can be used simultaneously. The choice of each medicine must be discussed with the attending physician, then long-term treatment will become less detrimental to health.