Diseases of the joints and spine are a problem that plagues almost everyone. Pharmacology and surgery here are not always the same panacea. However, there is another method of treatment, effective and painless, proven over the centuries - this is physiotherapy. The method is rightly considered the safest. However, there are contraindications to physiotherapy - both to the procedure in general and to its individual types.
What is physiotherapy?
If we turn to the Greek roots of the word, then we get "treatment with the help of natural factors." At first they were stones, mud, a certain climate. Then the technical achievements of mankind joined - magnetotherapy, radiotherapy, electrotherapy, mechanotherapy, hydrotherapy and so on appeared.
Physiotherapy (contraindications to the procedure will be surely considered by us) is used in the treatment of a large number of diseases. However, it occupies the most leading positions in relation to musculoskeletal pathologies. Her methods contribute to the rapid removal of pain, accelerate recovery, restore motor function.
The value of the technique is that it awakens and uses the internal reserves of the human body to self-repair the system. And this helps to reduce the proportion of medications taken, the harm from their side effects.
The main advantages of the treatment method
Physiotherapy (there are also contraindications to it) stands out against the background of other treatment methods as follows:
- It only affects the pathological focus, and not the whole organism.
- The risk of side effects is minimal.
- Soft painless treatments.
- High efficiency (especially in combination with drug therapy).
Types of physiotherapy
Physiotherapy, the contraindications to which we will consider in the next subheading, is divided into several varieties - treatment groups. The basis for the classification is the leading physical influence factor.
We give this gradation:
- Hydrotherapy - exposure to water.
- Balneotherapy - treatment with the help of special mineral solutions.
- Peloid therapy - is carried out using therapeutic mud.
- Thermotherapy - treatment based on thermophysical effects.
- Climatotherapy, aerotherapy - treatment with the help of air (mountain peaks, pine forests, etc.), the climate of certain natural areas.
- Barotherapy - treatment based on a certain atmospheric pressure.
- Mechanotherapy - is based on the influence of certain mechanical factors.
- Phototherapy is literally a light cure.
- Magnetotherapy - a therapeutic effect is achieved by exposure to a magnetic field on a patient.
- Electrotherapy - treatment using electric current.
Absolute contraindications to the procedure
General contraindications to physiotherapy are those in which any of its varieties is negative for the patient’s health:
- The spectrum of cancer.
- Serious pathologies that affect the heart system are lungs.
- Pregnancy and lactation.
- Hepatic or renal failure.
- Mental disorders in the acute stage.
- Skin diseases during their exacerbation.
- Infectious diseases at the time of the acute stage.
Contraindications to certain types of physiotherapy
However, there are a number of diseases, factors that, say, will be a contraindication, an indication for physiotherapy-magnets. Let's look at them:
- Bone fractures are contraindications for electrotherapy.
- Individual hypersensitivity to ultraviolet radiation - a contraindication to UV radiation.
- Clotting disorder is a contraindication to physiotherapy: magnetotherapy, therapeutic massage, electro-pulse treatment.
- Ruptures of tendons, muscles, ligaments - a contraindication to electrotherapy, shock wave therapy.
- Age up to 6 years - a contraindication to shock wave treatment, ultrasound, magnetotherapy, ultraphonophoresis.
- Endocrine diseases (diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease) are a contraindication for laser physiotherapy, UV irradiation, ultrasound therapy, and phonophoresis.
Indications for electrotherapy
Now let's move on to the main indications for a particular type of electrophysiotherapy:
- UHF-therapy (decimeter electric waves) - both injuries and diseases of the joints, spinal column of various nature.
- Short-wave diathermy - diseases of the musculoskeletal system associated with inflammatory processes.
- UHF-therapy (exposure to ultra-high frequency current) - musculoskeletal injuries, diseases.
- Darsonvalization - treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine.
- Low-frequency electrotherapy - treatment of arthrosis, arthritis of joints, both small and large.
- Electrophoresis - the scope of use depends on the injected drug solution.
- Galvanization - treatment of the effects of injuries, spinal injuries, osteochondrosis, joint diseases.
Indications for other methods of physiotherapy
Consider the indications for physiotherapy given here:
- Treatment with bathtubs, a shower with mineral waters are general rehabilitation procedures.
- Mud therapy - treatment of arthrosis, arthritis, injuries and diseases of joints, bones.
- Cryotherapy - injuries of connective tissues.
- Ozokerite therapy - treatment of the effects of injuries, diseases affecting the joints and bones.
- Paraffin therapy - pathologies and injuries of joints and bones.
- Ultraphonophoresis - the scope of use depends on the drug used.
- Ultrasound therapy - treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine.
- Vibrotherapy is a fight against cramping and pain.
- Shock wave treatment is the treatment of degenerative diseases affecting the spine and joints.
- Therapeutic massage - prevention and treatment of the entire spectrum of diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
- UV radiation - treatment of diseases of the joints, spine, which are characterized by the development of the inflammatory process.
- IR radiation - treatment of bone injuries, elimination of pain.
- Magnetotherapy - injuries and injuries of the spine and joints.
Risk of complications
We have examined the indications and contraindications for physiotherapy - magnetotherapy, UV radiation, electrotherapy and so on. But what is the danger of complications? This is manifested in the following:
- Exacerbation of diseases that were previously in the category of chronic and sluggish.
- Deterioration of health, general health of the patient.
Note that the risk of such complications is relatively very small. They arise mainly in a couple of cases:
- The patient was self-medicating.
- When choosing this or that type of physiotherapy, general and special contraindications were not taken into account.
Physiotherapy is thus one of the safest treatments. However, it also has contraindications, both general and particular.