One of the causes of pain in cervical osteochondrosis is muscle spasms. They can lead to complete immobility of the head and to disorders of cerebral circulation. Therefore, in addition to various analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants are used for this pathology. Most often it is recommended to use "Midokalm" for cervical osteochondrosis. This drug has been used for such pathologies for a long time and has established itself as very effective.
Muscle spasm in osteochondrosis
Degenerative processes in the intervertebral discs cause severe pain. They are associated with inflammatory processes, infringement of the nerve roots or blood vessels. Often the pain appears due to muscle cramps. This is a protective reaction of the body to the destruction of discs and the convergence of the vertebrae. Muscle cramps are most often the cause of pain in cervical osteochondrosis. There are many nerve roots in this section, and even a slight muscle tension can cause discomfort. Therefore, as part of a complex treatment, muscle relaxants are necessarily prescribed.
Reviews about "Midokalm" for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine indicate that the drug significantly improves the general condition and increases spinal mobility. Moreover, it helps at any stage of the disease. "Midokalm" refers to muscle relaxants of central action, therefore, relieves spastic pain and normalizes muscle tone. The use of such drugs is important precisely for cervical osteochondrosis. After all, the features of the anatomy of this department often lead to serious disorders of cerebral circulation. Due to muscle spasm, blood vessels are compressed and the supply of oxygen to the brain is disrupted. In addition, in the cervical region there are many nerve endings. Muscle spasm causes the vertebrae to come together and infringe some of them. This can lead to numbness of the upper limbs, the appearance of radiating pains or to disruption of the functioning of internal organs.
General characteristics of the drug
"Midokalm" with cervical osteochondrosis has been used for more than half a century. The drug has proven itself and is now considered the safest and most effective muscle relaxant. It is used for pain due to muscle spasms or increased muscle tone. "Midokalm" is available in the form of tablets and a solution for injection. But injections can only be done in a medical facility. In addition to the main active substance, it contains lidocaine hydrochloride and iron oxide, therefore, often causes side effects.
Reviews about "Midokalm" in tablets for cervical osteochondrosis are mostly positive. Patients note its good tolerance and high efficiency. The main active ingredient of the drug is muscle relaxant tolperisone hydrochloride. Two varieties of the drug are available: 50 and 150 mg of this substance. In addition, tablets contain auxiliary components: lactose, silicon dioxide and titanium, citric and stearic acid, microcrystalline cellulose, macrogol. Each package of the drug, which contains 30 tablets or 5 ampoules, costs from 350 to 450 rubles.
Benefits of using it
Among many other muscle relaxants, "Midokalm" for cervical osteochondrosis is most often used. This drug has several advantages:
- well tolerated by patients and rarely causes side effects even with prolonged use;
- does not affect performance, does not cause drowsiness or addiction;
- it affects only spasmodic muscles selectively, without blocking nerve impulses and without causing relaxation of skeletal muscles;
- goes well with other drugs used to treat cervical osteochondrosis;
- relieves pain, which reduces the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
What effect does it have?
The effectiveness of "Midokalm" in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is due to its special composition. This drug not only relieves muscle cramps, but also has anesthetic properties. The result is noticeable already 40 minutes after taking the pill, the injection is faster. Proper use of "Midokalm" has the following effects on the body:
- reduces muscle tension, completely removes cramps;
- dilates blood vessels, improves lymph flow and venous outflow;
- normalizes metabolic processes;
- relieves pain;
- removes stiffness and swelling;
- eliminates infringement of nerve roots;
- increases joint mobility;
- normalizes blood supply to the brain, improving mental activity.
Indications for use
Muscle relaxants are prescribed for any pathology of the musculoskeletal system. It can be arthritis, arthrosis, spondylosis, myelopathy, Raynaud's disease. It is used for some encephalopathies and cerebral palsy, which are accompanied by a violation of muscle tone, as well as muscle spasms due to neurological pathologies.
But the most popular "Midokalm" with cervical osteochondrosis. Reviews of treatment with its help note that recovery is faster. After all, the drug not only relieves muscle spasms, but also reduces pain, therefore, spinal mobility is restored.
The drug is especially indicated in the presence of compression syndrome, infringement of the nerve roots, reflex reactions, cerebrovascular accident. It relieves stiffness and discomfort, relaxes tense muscles and improves blood circulation. Be sure to prescribe "Midokalm" also after surgery on the cervical spine in osteochondrosis.
Contraindications
The drug "Midokalm" for cervical osteochondrosis is prescribed to almost all patients. After all, there are few contraindications to its intake. The most important thing is not to use the drug for children under the age of one year, as well as for pregnant and lactating women. Contraindications include individual intolerance to the components of the drug, and when using the injectable form, an allergy to lidocaine. Caution prescribes "Midokalm" for children, although this is not required, since osteochondrosis is mainly found in people over 40 years old. In addition, although the drug does not have a relaxing effect on the muscles, it is not used for myasthenia gravis and severe muscle weakness.
Possible side effects
The benefits of using Midokalm include its good tolerance and very rare side effects. They occur mainly with improper administration of the drug or with an overdose. Patients may notice the appearance of such symptoms:
- nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain;
- headaches;
- weakness, fatigue;
- itchy skin, urticaria, bronchospasm, sensation of suffocation;
- with injection, a drop in blood pressure is possible.
Usually, all side effects are not very pronounced and disappear after the end of the drug.
How to take "Midokalm" with cervical osteochondrosis
This drug is very often part of the complex treatment of this pathology. Assign it at any stage of osteochondrosis. But the form of release of the drug, dosage and duration of treatment are determined by the doctor individually. It depends on the state of health of the patient, his age, the degree of development of degenerative processes. Do not self-medicate, only a doctor can determine how to take "Midokalm" with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
Usually, with a mild course of pathology, 1 tablet of 50 mg three times a day is prescribed. You need to take pills after meals with water. In severe cases, the dosage can be increased to 2 or even 3 tablets at a time. But in the later stages of osteochondrosis, usually 150 mg tablets or injections are prescribed. The maximum allowable daily dose of 450 mg of the drug, it can not be exceeded. The duration of treatment is usually 10-30 days, it can be increased only after consulting a doctor. For children under 14 years of age, if necessary, the dosage is set individually, not more than 4-5 mg per kilogram of weight.
Midokalm injections for cervical osteochondrosis are used only in a medical institution. This form of the drug often causes side effects. But the injections act quickly, so with an acute attack they are often prescribed. In this case, 100 mg of the drug is administered. Intramuscular injections are done twice a day, intravenous administration is possible only 1 time per day. Injections are made no longer than 2 weeks, then, if necessary, they switch to taking the drug in tablets.
Application features
The popularity of the use of "Midokalm" in osteochondrosis is due not only to its high efficiency. The drug is often prescribed as part of complex treatment, because it combines well with other drugs. It does not interact with other painkillers, but since it relieves pain itself, it can affect the dosage reduction of other drugs. Prescribe "Midokalm" most often in conjunction with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, sleeping pills, sedatives.
But only a doctor should prescribe drugs for complex treatment. You can not combine "Midokalm" with drugs based on niflumic acid, as it is able to enhance its effect, which increases the risk of side effects. It is also undesirable without a doctor's prescription to take the drug together with muscle relaxants or psychotropic drugs, since their effect will be enhanced.
You can not prescribe the drug during pregnancy and lactation. Tolperizone enters all the fluids of the human body and can negatively affect a child. Only in the second trimester of pregnancy, if absolutely necessary, can it be prescribed under strict medical supervision.
Analogues of the drug: how to choose?
There are also several popular muscle relaxants that are prescribed for cervical osteochondrosis. The closest analogue of Midokalm is Tolperisone containing the same active substance. Its cost is almost two times lower, so many use it. Instead of "Midokalm", you can also use "Baclofen" or "Sirdalud" for osteochondrosis. These remedies do not differ much in price and effect, but it is better to provide the choice of treatment option to the doctor. Especially often, patients are interested in what is more effective for cervical osteochondrosis: Midokalm or Sirdalud. These drugs contain different active substances, cause different side effects. But they are equally often prescribed for cervical osteochondrosis. The effectiveness of the application depends on the individual characteristics of the patient.
"Midokalm" for cervical osteochondrosis: reviews
This drug is very popular among doctors and patients. Especially a lot of positive reviews about him from those people who have experienced an acute attack of cervical osteochondrosis. They note that several injections of the drug relieved them of pain and returned mobility to the neck. The use of tablets also causes positive results. They allow you to drink less painkillers, as they relieve pain by relieving muscle tension. Patients also like Midokalm because it rarely causes side effects.