The lumbar spine is subjected to very large loads at any position of the human body. Therefore, it is here that various pathologies arise. The most serious disease of the lumbar spine is a hernia of the intervertebral disc. This pathology causes nerve infringement, which causes severe pain. In advanced cases, hernia can be treated only surgically, but at the initial stages, the use of conservative therapy is possible. But in any case, with severe pain, only injections with a hernia of the lumbar spine help. They are used to relieve acute symptoms so that other therapeutic methods can be used.
What is a hernia of the lumbar spine
What injections will help? This question is asked by many patients experiencing severe back pain. After all, the symptoms of hernia are often impossible to remove by conventional methods. To understand why this disease causes such severe pain, you need to know what a hernia is.
The intervertebral discs are a ring of cartilage that surrounds the soft pulpous nucleus. They are located between the vertebrae and provide cushioning for any movement. Disks protect the vertebrae from abrasion, soften bumps and shaking during running and jumping, provide flexibility of the spine.
But in some cases, thinning of the cartilage tissue occurs and the pulpous nucleus is squeezed between the vertebrae. A hernia forms. Such a protrusion can compress the nerve roots, which causes severe pain. Usually the disease develops gradually, the pain is initially mild. Especially if the appearance of a hernia is associated with degenerative-dystrophic processes in the cartilage tissue. But if damage to the disc appears after an injury or a sharp increased load, then severe pain immediately occurs.
And prolonged squeezing of the nerve roots can lead to serious health consequences. Possible paralysis of the lower extremities, impaired functioning of the pelvic organs. Therefore, hernia should be treated as soon as possible. Moreover, now many modern methods have appeared that quickly ease the patient's condition.
Treatment of a hernia of the lumbosacral spine
In the initial stages, this disease is easily treated with conservative therapy. With the right approach and timely start of treatment, it is possible to return the disk to its function and completely eliminate the hernia. But this requires an integrated approach. Be sure to appoint therapeutic gymnastics, massage, physiotherapeutic procedures. But often this treatment cannot be started due to severe pain. Therefore, you must first remove the pain. Often, painkillers and local therapy with ointments are enough for this.
But there are such severe pains that nothing helps. To enable further treatment, injections are used for a hernia of the lumbar spine. They relieve pain in a few days, which allows you to continue treatment.
Why injections are more effective
Treatment of a hernia of the lumbosacral spine should be aimed at solving several problems. First of all, pain relief. This will help restore spinal mobility. In addition, it is necessary to relieve inflammation and muscle spasm. It is for these reasons that there may be a violation of blood circulation and impairment of the nerve roots. And spasmodic muscles often prevent the disc from taking its correct shape. And the last, which is also very important, is to restore the functions of the cartilage tissue of the disc. To do this, ensure normal blood supply and nutrition of cells.
All these goals can be achieved with the help of drugs. But their ingestion or external use is often ineffective. It is injections with a hernia of the lumbar spine that work best. They provide fast drug delivery directly to the affected area. After all, the medicine is injected directly into the bloodstream or even into the area of the nerve root. It is injection treatment that provides the following results:
- pain relief;
- reduction of the inflammatory process;
- muscle relaxation;
- restoration of blood circulation and metabolic processes;
- improving the condition of the cartilage tissue of the discs.
Types of hernia injections
All treatment for this disease should be prescribed by a doctor after examination and determination of the stage of pathology and individual characteristics of the body. Sometimes it is possible to get along only with external means and therapeutic exercises. But very often injections are required for a hernia of the lumbar spine. The name of the drug may be familiar to patients, but it is not recommended to inject it yourself without a doctor's prescription. After all, when choosing a medicine, many factors must be taken into account.
In the treatment of hernia, several groups of drugs are prescribed. All of them perform their functions and are selected depending on the condition of the patient. Drugs can be used alone or as part of complex therapy. What injections are prescribed for a hernia of the lumbar spine?
- At the initial stage, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are most often used. It can be "Ibuprofen" or "Diclofenac" in ampoules, the price of which is low. Usually the cost of a course of treatment will be no more than 100 rubles.
- If NSAIDs do not help or if back pain is very severe, corticosteroid hormones are prescribed. It can be: Dexamethasone, Diprospan or Hydrocortisone.
- Often severe pain is caused by muscle spasm. Therefore, the use of muscle relaxants that act on the muscles is relaxing.
- After the cessation of an acute attack of pain, chondroprotective injections are used. They help restore cartilage and intervertebral disc function.
- As an adjunct treatment, vitamin preparations by injection are often prescribed.
- Recently, homeopathic remedies for hernia of the lumbar spine began to be used. They can also be used as injections.
What is a blockade?
Most often, injections with a hernia of the lumbar spine are done intramuscularly or, in emergency cases, intravenously. But sometimes blockades are applied - the introduction of the drug directly into the painful area. Blockade is a rather complicated method of injection, therefore it should be carried out only by a specialist. If the needle is inserted incorrectly, nerve damage and patient deterioration are possible.
Blockades come in two forms. This is a paravertebral block, in which an injection is made between the ribs. In this case, the drug is delivered directly to the damaged nerve. But most often, epidural blockade is used, in which the drug is injected into the focus of pain between the membrane of the spinal cord and periosteum. This method of injection requires anesthesia, therefore, is done only in a medical institution.
For blockades, anesthetics, such as Novocain or Lidocaine, steroid hormones, such as Dexamethasone, as well as a combination of NSAIDs with vitamin B1, are used.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Such drugs are prescribed for hernia most often. They effectively relieve pain, inflammation and swelling, and rarely cause side effects. The advantage of these drugs is also that they are inexpensive, therefore available to every patient. For example, the price of "Diclofenac" in ampoules is only 60 rubles for 5 pieces. You can buy this drug in any pharmacy, it is very effective for hernia and causes the least side effects.
All non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should be prescribed by a doctor. After all, they may have contraindications. In addition, there are several generations of drugs with different efficiencies. What drugs are most often prescribed in injections?
- Only one course of injections "Diclofenac" is able to relieve the patient from pain with hernia. The drug has a minimum of side effects.
- The first generation of drugs also includes Ketoprofen, Ketorol, Revmoxicam, Dexalgin. They can be ineffective in severe pain.
- Movalis and Celebrex are second-generation drugs. They quickly relieve hernia pain, reduce the inflammatory process and remove swelling.
Steroid hormones
In emergency cases with very severe pain, as well as after a course of NSAIDs, if it did not have the desired effect, steroid hormones are used. They also have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, but more powerful. Such drugs can be used no more than 5 days. Their negative effects include the addiction of the body to their action, as well as the destructive effect on cartilage tissue with prolonged use.
Most often used for a hernia of the lumbar spine "Dexamethasone", "Prednisolone" or "Diprospan". But not everyone can use them for treatment. Glucocorticoids are contraindicated in case of stomach ulcer, diabetes mellitus, tuberculosis. Due to the large number of side effects, such drugs are prescribed only in extreme cases, with a complicated form of the disease.
Muscle relaxants
Severe pain caused by protrusion of the intervertebral disc causes a spasm of the muscles surrounding the spine. This spasm intensifies the pain, as it keeps the vertebrae pressed against each other and prevents the disc from returning to its place. Therefore, muscle relaxants in injections are often used to reduce pain. These are drugs that help relax muscles and improve blood circulation in tissues.
The most commonly used drug is Midokalm. It can be used with NSAIDs. It rarely causes side effects, but you can not use it in case of impaired renal function, with ulcers and nervous disorders. Sirdalud, Baclofen, Tizanidine, Ditilin also have a similar effect.
Chondroprotectors
After pain relief for the restoration of cartilage with hernia, the use of chondroprotectors is indicated. These drugs should be used for a long time, but they can damage the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, such drugs are sometimes prescribed intramuscularly. Most often, Chondrogard is used as an injection. This drug slows down the destruction of the intervertebral discs and stimulates the restoration of cartilage. In addition, such drugs are used: Don, Alflutop, Rumalon, Elbona and others.
Vitamin preparations
With a hernia, the use of B vitamins is necessary. They strengthen the body's defenses and are especially beneficial for the musculoskeletal system. The complex drug Milgamma is highly effective. When used in complex treatment, it accelerates the disappearance of pain.
Often also used "Trigamma." Injections of this agent reduce pain due to the presence of lidocaine in the composition. And B vitamins help relieve inflammation, improve metabolism, accelerate the restoration of nervous and cartilage tissue.
The use of a dropper for hernia
Sometimes drugs are not injected intramuscularly or intravenously, but drip. This method provides a constant flow of the drug and maintaining the desired concentration in the blood. Most often, droppers are used in emergency cases for pain relief. For this, such drugs can be used:
- "Dexamethasone";
- a mixture of analgesics, NSAIDs and muscle relaxants;
- "Actovegin" acts on nerve roots;
- "Analgin" or "Spazgan" relieve pain;
- Trental or Eufillin is prescribed to restore blood supply.
If there is pain in the back, you should contact a medical institution as soon as possible. Self-medication with a hernia is unacceptable.