Therapy of osteochondrosis

In the early stages of osteochondrosis, conservative therapy is always the main focus. An operation is therefore not the first choice of therapy. In most cases, drug-based pain therapy is supported by specific exercises for the back.

The exercises aim to strengthen the trunk muscles so that the spine is relieved. Painkillers are the most commonly used in drug therapy. Sometimes, however, anti-inflammatory drugs can also provide relief.

The painkillers are usually taken orally. However, if the pain becomes too strong, the doctor can also inject an analgesic directly into the affected area. The pain medication should first be used to overcome the acute phase of the pain so that physiotherapy can then be started.

The aim is to relax the muscles in the initial phase, which can be achieved, for example, through electrotherapy or heat therapy in the form of red light, fango (“mud treatment”) and massage. Only when the muscles are no longer tense can the actual exercises be started, so that the muscles are built up to help relieve the spine. In some cases, a support corset (orthosis) can be prescribed to support the therapy.

In addition to the muscle-building exercises, back training is also useful. There, the affected persons are taught a healthy posture that is easy on the back. If overweight exists, an attempt should be made to reduce the body weight at the same time.

These measures can prevent a full clinical picture at an early stage of osteochondrosis. However, conservative therapy is more difficult when the cervical spine is affected, as the muscles in this area have little ability to relieve the spine. Here, the main aim is to loosen the muscles in order to reduce pain.

Furthermore, pain-relieving injections are often used to treat nerve irritation. If the disease is already too advanced, surgery is often necessary. As a surgical option, a severely affected disc can be removed and replaced by a disc prosthesis. Furthermore, stabilization and alignment operations can be performed.