What injections are indicated for a hernia in the lumbar
With hernias, patients often complain of severe pain felt in various parts of the spinal column. Localization of pain depends on where exactly the hernial protrusion has developed. Often, doctors prescribe various injections to patients from discomfort in the back and lower back. What injections will help to extinguish the symptoms of the disease and alleviate the patient's condition?
Basic drugs for injection
Intervertebral hernia is a disease that is formed due to a variety of factors. Various circulatory disorders often act as a mechanism, due to which the intervertebral discs cease to receive nutrients in sufficient quantities and, as a result, wear out faster.
Wear of the intervertebral discs often leads to the fact that they injure the surrounding tissues, provoking an active inflammatory reaction. The drugs used in the relief of the symptoms of the disease are mainly focused on eliminating the inflammatory reaction.
In addition to eliminating inflammation and pain, doctors also try to supply the intervertebral discs in the injured area with additional nutrients, without which a full recovery is not possible.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are often used to treat spinal hernia. This group relieves acute inflammation, but is not able to stop the cause of the disease. This means that with the introduction of injections, it is impossible to restore a damaged disk. However, these drugs are popular among patients, as they eliminate pain in a short time.
Doctors distinguish two generations of these drugs:
- Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Ortofen . These remedies help with back pain due to the fact that not only eliminate inflammation, but also stop discomfort in a fairly short time. True, they have one significant drawback. With prolonged use, their negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract is clearly visible.
- Meloxicam, Movalis, Celebrex and others . The second generation of medicines has a more pronounced anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. At the same time, as doctors note, the negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract is minimally expressed.
NSAIDs are mainly administered intramuscularly according to the doctor's indications.
The maximum daily dose is 15 mg. Before using these drugs, a specialist consultation is necessary, since in case of serious gastrointestinal diseases, they can provoke severe bleeding that threatens the patient's life.
Glucocorticosteroids
Among the various injections from the intervertebral hernia of the lumbar spine, glucocorticosteroids are widely used. They are especially relevant if NSAIDs fail to achieve any noticeable improvement. Injections of these drugs are effective if a person is pinched by a nerve, with various protrusions, as well as with lumbosacral arthrosis.
It is believed that - one of the most effective groups of drugs. These drugs very effectively eliminate tissue edema, stop inflammation, and have a pronounced analgesic effect.
Most often, doctors prescribe the following injections:
- Dexamethasone;
- Prednisolone;
- Methylprednisolone;
- Betamethasone etc.
Today, injections that are performed by a doctor directly into the area of a pinched nerve are considered especially effective. It is believed that such a modern transfemoral can be an excellent alternative to surgical interventions.
Despite the fact that with the defeat of the sacral region or any other, these drugs have proven to be highly effective, their long-term use is still not recommended. The maximum duration of the course should be 5 days to avoid addiction and the development of side effects.
Since glucocorticosteroids are hormones, their long-term use can provoke systemic diseases and negatively affect brain activity. When prescribing drugs, the doctor should take these features into account.
Muscle relaxants
What injections for a hernia of the lumbar spine will help if the disease is very difficult? In this case, muscle relaxants are actively prescribed. They relax tense muscles up to spasm, due to which they have their main analgesic effect. Relaxed muscles do not increase the load on the spine, which significantly reduces the severity of pain. The absence of muscle spasm also allows normal blood flow.
The most commonly used in medical practice are:
- Mydocalm;
- Sirdalud;
- Tizanidin.
Among all muscle relaxants, Mydocalm is the most popular. This drug contains Lidocaine, which significantly increases the effect of pain relief.
Muscle relaxants are allowed to be used only on the advice of a doctor. These drugs can cause various disorders of the nervous system if the dosage is not correct. If the maximum permitted dose is greatly exceeded, paralysis or even death may develop. It is best if the introduction of muscle relaxants will be carried out under the supervision of a physician or performed by a specialist. These drugs are not suitable for home use and should only be administered in a hospital.
Complementary Therapy
Injections for intervertebral hernia are not limited to muscle relaxants, glucocorticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Injection of additional drugs is often required. These injections do not so much have an analgesic effect as they contribute to the treatment of the disease.
Chondroprotectors
The task of chondroprotectors is to slow down the destruction of intervertebral discs. In some cases, with the help of these drugs, it is possible to completely stop the pathological processes.
This group includes Noltrex, Adgelon and some other means. Teraflex advance is also actively used. The difference of this drug is that its additional component is Ibuprofen, which means that the effect is manifested not only in strengthening the intervertebral discs, but also in pain relief.
Hyaluronic acid
Pain-relieving injections of hyaluronic acid are another way to support the spinal column with a herniated disc. This substance, which is normally found in the synovial fluid of any joint, gives strength to the intervertebral discs, improves their shock-absorbing properties, and reduces the intensity of pain.
With hernias, hyaluronic acid is injected directly into the affected area, essentially into the affected joint. So the effectiveness of the injection is maximum.
Vitamin preparations
It is possible to fully treat a hernia of the spine only if it is possible to compensate for the lack of nutrients that develops due to circulatory failure. It is also important to maintain the normal functioning of the nerve fibers that can be damaged by the protrusion. For this, vitamins from the B group are mainly prescribed, since they are considered the most important for nerve fibers.
In addition to vitamins from group B, intramuscular administration of A, E, C is also recommended, which will help maintain the body in a healthy state.
An intervertebral hernia can be cured only if a person uses not just one drug, but several at once. Comprehensive impact on pathology is the key to success.
Rules for self-administration of injections
In some cases, according to doctors, self-injection of drugs is allowed. For example, it is allowed to do this if the situation has developed acutely, and the ambulance will travel too long or there is no possibility to call it at all. True, it is possible to administer drugs on their own only if their dosage was previously approved by a doctor.
Accordingly, in order to prepare for unforeseen situations, it is recommended to consult a doctor about helping the patient without the intervention of specialists.
If you had to inject yourself or a relative, the procedure for its implementation is as follows:
- Before opening, the drug ampoule is carefully treated with an alcohol solution, and then carefully opened, observing safety precautions.
- The required amount of the drug is drawn into a sterile disposable syringe, and if air enters, squeeze it out gently with a piston.
- The injection area is carefully treated with an alcohol solution.
- the needle is inserted into the selected place at an angle of 90º by about 2/3, after which the piston is slowly pressed until it stops.
- After the introduction of the solution, the needle is quickly pulled out, and a cotton swab dipped in an alcohol solution for 15-20 minutes is applied to the area.
It is important to remember that on their own, a person can only inject into the upper outer square of the buttock, as well as into the outer region of the thigh or shoulder. Intravenous, intra-articular or transfemoral injections are performed only by a doctor and only in a hospital setting.
Injection administration of medicines has long and well established itself in the treatment of intervertebral hernias. The main thing is to get the approval of a doctor before taking any drugs, as well as to choose the right dosage. Injectable drugs, as practice shows, have a faster effect than tablets, and therefore are excellent for stopping acute conditions.
