Ruslan Miftakhov

This article will make you think about the most important thing - health! First of all, I want to wish you health. Take care of your health from a young age or you will regret not caring about yourself! Mark my words. Let what happened to me be a good life lesson for me and for you.

The first pains in the lower abdomen and lower back began back in 2013 after moving to another apartment. During the day, while I was moving, my lower back did not remind me of itself.

But when I got up in the morning, I couldn’t straighten up and there was pain in my lower back, as if it were cutting from the inside with a knife. I had no idea that after moving, carrying a heavy refrigerator and washing machine, I would give myself a hernia.

This is how I roughly unloaded the car when moving to a new apartment

Day and evening the pain more or less went away and I forgot about it. In the evening I went to bed normally, but the next morning I could not bend over. Raising my six-month-old son was problematic for me.

Some time passed and this illness gradually went away and I did not attach much importance to these symptoms.

Over the next three years I experienced occasional discomfort in my groin. I was starting to worry that I had problems with the male side.

In the spring of 2016, I felt complications; I could not sit for a long time without pain and my lower back constantly ached when walking.

For a long time my wife tried to persuade me to go to the hospital to get checked, but I kept refusing, I can’t stand these hospitals. But my back began to fail frequently, I could not stand without pain and moved around like an old grandfather, leaning on the walls. Because of this, I could not make requests for computer repairs and setups and lost income.

I often searched the Internet for information about what happened to my back. All the symptoms I had said that I had a herniated disc. I didn’t believe it until the very end, I kept consoling myself that I had just lost my back and that everything would pass soon. Yeah, naive, it will pass on its own...

A herniated disc does not appear and disappear overnight. This is all formed over months and years of incorrect habits. Constant movement is good for the spine; the back muscles must be strong to support the spine.

In the end, I agreed to my wife’s persuasion to go to the hospital and get examined.

My trip to the hospital

So we went to the Central District Hospital on Monday, and the queues... as usual, were too long.

Since I had difficulty moving, my wife accompanied me everywhere. I thank her very much for this; if it weren’t for her, I definitely wouldn’t have gone to the hospital and I would have done the right thing. Why is it right? Read on, then the fun begins.

I won’t write about how they searched for a medical card for a long time and never found it. They got a new one and that’s it, I haven’t been to the hospital for 5 years and apparently my card was sold to someone;) I’m kidding of course, but who knows...

While I was sitting in line to see a therapist and neurologist, I saw a poster on the wall about the causes of spinal diseases:

1. This is a passive sedentary lifestyle, that is, when you sit for a long time, the back muscles atrophy and become weak.
2. You cannot lift heavy weights.
3. Poor nutrition - lack of vitamins and calcium.

All three of these reasons contributed to my back problem.

I waited in line for about 2 hours to see a therapist. In the doctor’s office I tell the therapist that there is pain in the lower back and the foot of my right leg goes numb after 2-3 minutes when I stand.

Well, as usual, she listened to me with her device and took a pressure reading - everything was normal. I wrote out a referral for urine and blood tests and prescribed different pills, I don’t remember the names, because I can’t stand injections.

He asks me: “Are you going to do an MRI?”
Me: no damn it, I just came for pills. “Of course I will, which is why I came to the hospital, to find out the cause of the pain, and then treat it.”

Most people do the opposite, first they treat, and then they find out that they were treating for the wrong thing.

He gives me a form - directions with directions to where magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is being done. And she sent everything home, no diagnosis, no treatment method, swallow the pills and then ruin yourself, that’s the impression I got.

The next day I donate blood and urine and go to a neurologist, describe my symptoms, that my lower back is hurting and my right leg is falling off. He prescribes me meloxicam injections.

I ask: “What’s wrong with me, what’s the diagnosis?”

You'll get 6 injections, then come back for a follow-up appointment and we'll see.

I'm freaking out for the second time.

But where can I go, my back hurts, I believed the doctor (the doctor doesn’t say lies by the way, I later read this somewhere) I bought 6 injections and started doing 1 injection a day in the right bun.

I did 3 injections, then the weekend came and 3 had to be done next week.

Getting an injection in the film Prisoner of the Caucasus

After the injection it seemed to go away, the pain subsided. On Sunday the aching pain was there all day. And on Monday morning I couldn’t get out of bed. Something bad happened to me on Monday, March 21, 2016.

They say that Monday is a hard day, but it has never been so hard for me. On this fine morning, I woke up with severe pain in my lower back, sat down with difficulty on the edge of the bed and spent half an hour trying to put on my socks on my own. At that very moment I felt like a helpless vegetable.

I couldn't help but sit and stand without support. More or less, I felt myself in a supine position, and when I changed my body position I experienced wild pain. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone, not even my most sworn enemy.

I started cursing these doctors, you turn to them, but they can’t say what the problem is or don’t want to say. They only cripple, not heal.

It’s my own fault, I brought myself to this state, and at that time I was only 35 years old. And I brought myself to this state for 3-5 years. As soon as I changed my occupation and lifestyle.

Examination by a specialist

Then my wife remembered that a friend of hers also had back problems and she went to see a specialist who helped her. They took the phone number of specialist Semyon Petrovich from her, called and arranged a meeting. We had to go to the neighboring city of Almetyevsk, which is 40 kilometers from us.

I took painkillers to make the journey bearable. I didn’t get behind the wheel myself, I asked my friend Seryoga to take me, thank him very much for his help.

He received me at home, after voicing my symptoms - my lower back hurts and my right leg goes numb in the foot when I stand, Semyon Petrovich immediately announced the diagnosis.

My dear friend, you have a hernia, he said, but for an accurate diagnosis you need to do an MRI. And so are all the symptoms of an intervertebral hernia.

I was shocked. How afraid I was to hear this and kept hoping that the MRI would not show a hernia. We went to take a photo of the lower back, and paid 2,400 rubles for the procedure.

The next day, Semyon Petrovich takes my photograph, goes to the window and, without reading the description, begins to say exactly what is written in the epicrisis, which I hold in my hands and read the same terrible words, Schmorl's hernia, well, this happens to almost everyone and it hurts does not cause it, but a hernia of L5-S1 with a displacement to the right due to which my right leg is taken away is already serious.

He asks me to come up to him and points his finger, so that I can see and understand everything myself, and not take their word for it, like the doctors in the hospital.

X-ray of the lumbar region

He asks me what size of hernia L5-S1 is written 0.5-0.8 mm? I look at the list and see only 1.0 cm. Semyon Petrovich takes the description, not believing his eyes, a hernia of 1.0 cm. He looks at me, then looks at the description and says, if I hadn’t seen the patient, but only a picture with a description, I would definitely prescribe surgery to cut out the hernia.

But if you are still standing and walking, then everything is not so bad.

Usually, a hernia up to 0.8 cm is not critical (I don’t remember those clever words that Semyon Petrovich used) and you can do without surgery, but if the hernia is more than 0.8 cm, it is dangerous because it can paralyze your legs and leave you disabled for the rest life.

After reading reviews on the Internet, I came to the conclusion that most people spend money on all sorts of procedures, massages, stretching, but in the end it only gets worse. And hundreds of thousands of rubles were wasted.

And the most important thing is not to lift anything heavy and use the technique that comes with the order.

If you pick it up, you may end up in a wheelchair, depending on your luck, he said as he cut it off, but it’s better not to risk it. This is all a death sentence for me. Do exercises every day to strengthen and stretch your back muscles.

I don’t remember all the words of Semyon Petrovich, because, to put it mildly, I was in shock, and my wife sat next to me all in tears.

How I treated a hernia

So the diagnosis is made, the treatment method is prescribed. That's what I needed from the hospital and doctors.

Couldn't they have done this right away at the hospital? No, they’ll prescribe pills with injections and go for a walk Vasya, that is, Ruslan.

After determining the cause of the pain and recommendations from a specialist, I got down to business. Started taking B vitamins and calcium. Semyon Petrovich advised making calcium from eggshells, crushing it and mixing it with lemon juice, drinking a teaspoon every day.

Every morning I took B vitamins, did a set of exercises, in the evening I took calcium in the form of ground eggshells and squeezed lemon juice, and again exercised through the pain.

Every day I got up in the morning through pain, did exercises with pain in my lower back and right leg. By the way, I forgot to say that after the injections, what the neurologist prescribed, my whole right leg ached with a dull pain, sometimes it hurt so unbearably that I couldn’t find a place for myself.

2 months after these injections, my leg just stopped hurting and I was able to lift it without pain. I don’t know what kind of injections these are, they don’t cure, they only cripple.

While searching for information on the Internet on the treatment of hernia, I came across a site where the author had a hernia even larger than mine - 1.4 cm. I subscribed to his newsletter and began to receive useful information by e-mail on restoring the spine, strengthening the back, stretching the spine and proper diet.

Table with a schedule of my actions to restore my back

I made a schedule in the table and noted all the actions that needed to be done during the day.

Lyapko applicator from Argo company - top view

Lyapko applicator in the Argo company - side view

I lay on this applicator and put a tick in the table, which means I completed the task. The main thing is not to skip tasks and complete them.

I printed out this declaration and hung it on the toilet door.

I read the declaration and put a tick in front of the item in the table. I hung a printed sheet like this in the toilet. In short, you sit and declare in the morning;)

I drank sesame milk and vitamin B - ticked the box. Then I did some exercises and put another tick in front of it.

Bandage with polymedel inside

Dressed in polymedel - tick. This is the kind of bandage I put on, with a polymedel film inside. Polimedel is a polymer film electrified using original technology that retains its properties for a long time. Helps stop inflammatory processes and improves tissue regeneration.

Polymedel packaging, sold by Argo

I’ll tell you a secret, by wearing such a bandage with polymedel, I felt how my lower back pain subsided at first, and then over time the pain completely went away. Spare no expense, order Polymedel, the applicator included and do exercises, this is what will help you, tested on yourself.

Why spend money on supposedly all kinds of treatment, in the form of injections, painkillers, surgeries, etc. Better spend it on things you really need. As they say, saving a drowning man is the work of the drowning man himself.

You choose which path to follow, listen to doctors or help yourself. I personally would not trust doctors with my health. And you?

This is how I dressed and wore two bandages with polymedel on the lower back

This is how I put on 2 bandages with Polymedel and wore them under my clothes for 3 hours, took them off for 2 hours, then put them on for another 3 hours.

Orthopedic corset

Semyon Petrovich recommended this corset to me, it’s a good thing, but expensive, almost 10 thousand. I only wore it for the first time when I had to sit in the car for a long time on the road.

And now I don’t wear it, at first I only wore it for 2 hours. And remember, no matter how good the corset is, you can’t wear it for a long time, you need to train your back muscles. And after wearing a corset for a long time, the lower back muscles simply atrophy.

Table of my measurements: lying leg raises and bending to the floor

At the end of each week, my wife used a tape measure to measure how much of which leg I lifted from a supine position and wrote it down in a table.

I also wrote down how many cm I don’t reach the floor when bending forward. The table shows how I improved my readings almost every week and after 2 months I can walk normally with my fast gait.

Don’t even think about having an operation to cut out a hernia, you will only make your situation worse. And hernias will appear higher. Yes, at first you will feel better, there will be no pain. But there is no need to interfere, the body will cope on its own, you just help it and that’s it. If you want to be a regular client of a surgeon, do the operation!

Intervertebral herniation is not the cause of pain

Update dated December 10, 2018. More than two years after a relapse with my back, I decided to supplement the article with important information. I think with this I will help many people move in the right direction towards healing and relieving pain.

Nowadays, medicine has turned into a business, and it has become very dangerous to trust doctors who are only interested in you becoming regular clients.

Recently, I have collected enough information, analyzed it and applied it to myself. Therefore, I can confidently share this method with you.

First you need to figure out what is the reason for the appearance of a hernia and back pain, to do this, watch this video.

I’ll tell you my story, which happened to me in the summer of 2018. In July, I ordered a wall bars and after two weeks of training my right leg began to ache when walking. The pain increased every day and after a month I could not walk or stand without pain.

At first I thought that the intervertebral hernia had worsened again, but I found a refutation of this, I already wrote about this in, if anyone is interested, read it.

Afterwards I thought that the sciatic nerve was to blame, which was pinched and caused pain. But when I found information that only muscles can hurt, namely because of trigger points in them, then it dawned on me.

Watch the video so you understand what I'm talking about.

After watching this video, I got the overall picture, a puzzle made up of many individual elements that I collected over several years. It was not the hernia that was to blame, but the muscles, or rather the improper functioning of the muscles in which triggers had formed that create pain.

To heal my muscles and get rid of triggers, I bought massage rollers to roll the deep muscles of my back and started working on myself.

Massage rolls of different shapes and sizes

I ordered massage rolls, balls and a shaft inexpensively from this store

In the comments they asked me to explain in detail how to order from Aliexpress, if you have never done this, here is a short algorithm:

1. Register on the aliexpress website, enter your email, first and last name and create a password for your account.
2. Indicate your postal address where parcels will be sent.
3. Attach the bank card you will use to pay.

All this needs to be done and configured 1 time!

1. Next, you make a purchase, the seller sends the package.
2. After some time, you receive the parcel at the nearest Russian Post office.
3. On the Aliexpress website you confirm that you have received the parcel so that the seller receives money for the goods.

All deal is done!

Theracane massage hook

And also bought hook massager Theracane for targeted self-massage in hard-to-reach places.

After a month of daily work on muscle triggers, the pain in my leg slowly went away and after another month the pain completely disappeared.

Please note that if your muscles have been hurting for a long time - months or even years - then you will not heal the muscle in a week. It takes time to roll the triggers every day, and this is very painful at first. But this is the right direction for healing, tested on myself.

There was a case when the muscle under my shoulder blade suddenly cramped and I could not turn my head to one side without pain. I just got acquainted with this information and asked my wife to find this seal on the back and remove the trigger.

After 2-3 minutes, the wife felt a pea-sized lump on her back. After several presses for 30-40 seconds (it was painful), the seal dissolved.

To my surprise, when I turned my head, I no longer experienced this pain, since the trigger point had just appeared, it was quite quickly removed in one go. Otherwise, it takes weeks, or even months.

What conclusions did I draw?

Only by strengthening the muscular corset of the back and correctly stretching the strengthened muscles of the spine will the problem with intervertebral hernia be solved.

At the moment when I am writing this article - mid-November 2016, six months have passed since the day when I could not get out of bed, I do exercises every morning and feel good. I reach the floor with my hands without bending my legs.

Imagine what would happen if I trusted the doctor, like this neurologist, after injections on the operating table at the surgeon’s and that’s it... they would sign me up as a regular client.

And why all? Yes, because the back muscles have weakened and do not properly support the load on the spine. He lifted it a little or bent over incorrectly and that’s it. If the diet is also not correct, then nothing will help at all. The body itself is being destroyed.

And pain is a signal to action to change something, change habits, lifestyle and nutrition. Surgery, injections and pills only remove symptoms, but do not solve the health problem, understand this in the end.

And if I had surgery to cut out the hernia, it would help for a while. But without exercise, hernias may appear higher and more than one. I know people who have had surgery 2-3 times, and all because they don’t understand what they’re getting into. If you want to be a regular client of the surgeon, then please do the operation.

Don’t be careless about your health, love yourself. After all, the health that is given to us by nature is priceless.

Look at the results of Alexander Shevtsov’s spine diagnostics 5 years after the hernia appeared. In fact, Alexander’s hernia has not gone away, but the pain has disappeared, and do you know why?

After 2 years, I figured out the reasons for the appearance of intervertebral hernia. For those interested, read the article: . (Ratings: 2 , average: 5,00 out of 5)

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Intervertebral hernia is a fairly rare pathology, but experts have noted an increase in the number of patients with this disease recently. Often a hernia occurs against the background of other spinal diseases; it rarely becomes an independent pathology. It is worth knowing about the main ways in which spinal hernia occurs, the main symptoms and treatment methods.

Intervertebral hernia: what is it?

Intervertebral or simply vertebral hernia is a degenerative disease in which inflammation and deformation of the intervertebral disc occurs, its displacement, destruction of the fibrous ring and other negative changes. A hernia can cause severe pain and serious disruptions in the normal functioning of the spine.

The most common intervertebral hernia occurs in the lumbosacral region, since it is this section of the spinal column that usually bears the greatest load and is the easiest to injure. Such degenerative lesions of the cervical spine are much less common; cases of hernia in the thoracic spine are extremely rare, they are almost isolated.

According to statistics, vertebral hernia is one of the most common reasons for surgical intervention associated with back pain. Experts note that for a number of reasons this pathology is beginning to occur more and more often, and the diseases leading to its occurrence are becoming extremely common.

There are several stages of hernia development; the earlier the disease is detected, the easier it is to treat:

1. Protrusion of the intervertebral disc. At this stage of development of the pathology, a rupture of the fibrous ring is observed, and a fragment of the nucleus begins to come out. At this stage, specialized treatment and surgical intervention are not required; you can try to cope with the disease on your own. The pain syndrome is mild, the pain is shooting in nature, and intensifies after exercise.
2. Partial prolapse of the intervertebral disc. The nucleus pulposus begins to bulge more, which is why the pain becomes constant and quite pronounced. There is a disruption in the blood supply to the intervertebral disc.
3. Complete prolapse of the intervertebral disc. The nucleus almost completely leaves the annulus fibrosus, but its normal shape is maintained. The pain syndrome increases, noticeable motor disturbances begin to develop, the pain may begin to radiate to the legs, the pelvic area, if the lumbar region is affected; if the cervical region is affected, a severe headache, a feeling of numbness in the area of ​​the shoulder blades and other symptoms occur.
4. Sequestration. Fragments of the nucleus begin to fall out of the fibrous ring; due to the displacement of the intervertebral disc, the occurrence of a full-fledged hernia, pinching of the nerve endings in the spine occurs. The pain becomes constant, and the mobility of the spine is significantly impaired.

Important! At later stages of development of an intervertebral hernia, surgical intervention is often unavoidable.

If a disease is detected, treatment should begin as quickly as possible. In advanced cases, degenerative damage to the spine can lead to serious consequences, severe limitations in mobility and other problems. At the moment, there are quite effective methods that allow you to get rid of pain and avoid consequences.

There are several reasons for the development of this disease; various factors lead to the occurrence of a hernia, often they are combined. The more factors are present at the same time, the greater the likelihood of developing the disease:

1. Insufficient level of physical activity. Without a normal level of mobility, the back muscles weaken and the spine becomes less functional. This leads to the development of various degenerative diseases, the most common being osteochondrosis; very often, intervertebral hernia is a consequence of this pathology.
2. Increased load on the spine. Constant heavy loads on the musculoskeletal system, especially in the absence of the necessary physical training, lead to back diseases. Also, athletes who neglect to warm up sufficiently before performing exercises or necessary rest and care after training may experience hernias.
3. Various spinal injuries. Impacts, bruises, any mechanical damage and trauma can lead to displacement of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, which can lead to the development of various types of hernias.
4. Age. Experts note that most often hernias occur in older people, especially against the background of other spinal diseases. The risk group includes women over forty and men over thirty.
5. Floor. It is noted that the disease occurs more often in men due to the structure of cartilage tissue. In women, it is much better developed, as a result of which the likelihood of severe complications such as hernias in females is much lower.

Risk factors also include excess weight due to increased stress on the spine and heredity. It is believed that if there are people in the family with degenerative spinal diseases, the likelihood of their occurrence increases. People with unfavorable heredity should pay more attention to the rules of prevention.

Symptoms

Symptoms of intervertebral degenerative lesions depend on the location. There are several types of degenerative disease depending on the location, and in each case the symptoms will be different.

With an intervertebral hernia of the cervical spine, in addition to pain in the neck and back, a headache occurs, accompanied by severe dizziness. Muscle numbness may occur, and due to a lack of cerebral blood supply, the patient begins to get tired more often. Patients also often experience blood pressure disorders and hypertension.

Important! With a cervical hernia, the likelihood of an ischemic stroke increases.

With an intervertebral hernia of the lumbar region, which is more common than other types, acute pain occurs in the lumbar region, reminiscent of a lumbago. The pain syndrome is especially pronounced, and various movement disorders occur. The sensitivity of the skin on the legs disappears, normal blood circulation in the lower extremities is disrupted. In particularly advanced cases, disturbances in the functioning of the pelvic organs occur.

Thoracic hernia

With an intervertebral hernia of the thoracic spine, which is extremely rare, the pain syndrome is not so pronounced, since the load on the thoracic spine is usually small. The pain intensifies when coughing, sneezing, or after physical activity, and can radiate to the stomach. At the thoracic level, normal skin sensitivity sometimes disappears due to damage to nerve endings.

If these signs of the development of an intervertebral hernia appear, you should consult a doctor - a neurologist or surgeon. To make a correct diagnosis, an examination is carried out, an x-ray is taken of the affected part of the spine, an MRI or CT scan is taken to confirm the disease. Other studies may be prescribed depending on the individual characteristics of the disease.

In the early stages of the disease, the pain syndrome is usually not very pronounced; unpleasant sensations are often attributed to fatigue or physical strain. In later stages of the pathology, the pain syndrome is quite noticeable, it does not depend on the level of physical activity and is present almost constantly.

Consequences

Advanced degenerative disease of the spinal column can lead to severe complications without treatment. The main danger is damage to the spinal cord and nerve endings located in the spinal column, which can occur due to protrusions and compression by a hernia.

Due to such damage to nerve endings, skin sensitivity may disappear, paralysis may occur, and normal mobility of the limbs may disappear. In exceptional cases, motor function may be completely lost without the possibility of recovery.

Intervertebral hernia is a contraindication to military service in the vast majority of cases. This pathology is extremely rarely independent; the development of complications always leads to complete disuse. Hernia is an extremely dangerous disease, especially in the later stages.

To receive a deferment from the army, you need an official diagnosis from a doctor, information that the patient went to the clinic due to back pain, and examination results.

Intervertebral hernia during pregnancy

During pregnancy, the likelihood of developing a degenerative disease of the spinal column increases, since when carrying a child, the load on the spine and the body as a whole increases. If a hernia appears during pregnancy, under no circumstances should the disease be neglected; its treatment must be started as quickly as possible.

The main difficulty in treating a hernia during pregnancy is the inability to use most medications and therapeutic exercises; these techniques can harm the child. In the initial stages, the most gentle methods are used - up to and including the use of folk remedies.

During childbirth against the background of a hernia, extreme caution must be taken and the illness of the expectant mother should be taken into account. Immediately after the birth of a child in advanced stages of the disease, surgical intervention is recommended.

Treatment without surgery

Treatment of a hernia at home after consultation with a doctor is acceptable, especially in the early stages of the disease. They try to avoid surgical removal of an intervertebral hernia; this method usually has to be used if the disease is extremely advanced, complications develop, and sensitivity is lost. This should be discussed with your doctor.

Typically, the following methods are used for treatment at home and without surgery:

1. Medicinal treatments. Usually, various painkillers are used, first they try to try non-hormonal drugs: Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Nimesulide and their analogues. If the tablets do not help, a local blockade is used, most often based on novocaine and its analogues.
2. Physiotherapy. Various therapeutic exercises are extremely important for treatment in the early stages of the disease and for rehabilitation after removal of a hernia. The exercise plan is usually selected by the attending physician; caution should be used when performing gymnastics. In the initial stages of a hernia, it is permissible to include elements of yoga in gymnastics. The main thing is to avoid heavy loads and heavy lifting.
3. Physiotherapy. Physiotherapeutic procedures must be carried out strictly according to indications; in some cases they are completely contraindicated. Usually electrophoresis, phonoresis with caripain, acupuncture and other techniques are performed.

Treatment with folk remedies

To relieve symptoms, you can use folk remedies with caution. Bee products, infusions and decoctions of medicinal herbs when taken orally usually cope well with this problem. The main condition for treatment with folk remedies is not to heat or use warming substances.

Eating dried apricots, prunes and figs every day will help alleviate the condition of a hernia. You need to eat five pieces of dried apricots and one piece of figs and prunes. It is believed that this combination helps strengthen the spine; in combination with conservative measures, it will help to achieve positive results faster.

To alleviate pain, use a compress based on potatoes and honey. A small amount of raw potatoes should be grated, mixed with a couple of spoons of honey, placed on the sore spot and covered with cellophane, covered with a blanket on top. Keep the compress for a couple of hours, then wash off. The compress should not be heated further.

In more advanced stages with complete destruction of the fibrous ring, surgical intervention is recommended. Surgeries to remove a hernia are considered minimally invasive - small incisions and punctures are used for removal, through which the nucleus pulposus is removed with minimal harm to the patient.

There are several different methods of performing the operation, the appropriate one is selected by the attending physician, it all depends on the individual characteristics of the course of the disease. In any case, the intervention is usually easily tolerated.

The operation is performed under anesthesia, after removal the pain is minimal, and within a few days after the operation you can return to a normal, familiar way of life.

Important! Surgery is resorted to only if conservative treatment does not help.

Laser treatment

There is another method for treating intervertebral hernia in advanced stages, in which no traces are left and the recovery period is minimal. A needle is inserted into the disc through a puncture, after which the pressure inside the disc is relieved with a directed laser beam. The pressure on the nerve endings is reduced, pain and other symptoms of the hernia disappear.

The procedure lasts about an hour, it is carried out under local anesthesia, and after a few days the person can leave the hospital. This technique is preferred in young patients or in the absence of disc destruction.

Removal of an intervertebral hernia does not require a long recovery period, since intervention in the body is minimal. However, it is worth considering that if the rules for preventing degenerative spine disease are not followed, it will recur.

Therefore, after surgery, therapeutic exercises and exercises aimed at strengthening the back muscles and developing spinal flexibility and correcting posture are recommended. With the permission of the doctor, physiotherapeutic procedures can be prescribed; if there is a lack of substances necessary for the normal functioning of the musculoskeletal system, vitamin and mineral complexes can be prescribed.

If you are overweight, it is recommended to switch to a lighter diet with a minimum amount of fat and “fast” carbohydrates. Preference should be given to fruits, vegetables, dairy products, you need to drink more water and monitor the amount of calories consumed every day.

Can a hernia resolve?

A spinal hernia never goes away on its own; degenerative changes are often irreversible. With the right treatment, it is possible to remove the pain syndrome, the main symptoms, and stop further destruction and displacement of the intervertebral discs.

Is it possible to heat a herniated disc?

Under no circumstances should the hernia be subjected to heat or warming procedures. With this disease there is an inflammatory process that will intensify when exposed to high temperatures. Warming procedures can lead to worsening of the disease.

In general, with properly selected therapy, the prognosis is favorable. The main thing is to strictly follow the doctor’s recommendations; with a hernia, it is easy to provoke a deterioration in well-being if you use inappropriate treatment methods.

Today, one of the most common diseases among young and old people is intervertebral hernia. It is characterized by displacement of the nucleus pulposus of the vertebral discs, as a result of which the annulus fibrosus ruptures.

To understand what causes contribute to the development of a herniated disc, you need to know the anatomical features of the structure. Intervertebral discs do not have blood vessels, so they receive oxygen diffusely from the spinal muscles. For this reason, cartilage tissue, which is in the same ligament with the capillary network, begins to collapse in the absence of nutrition. Fasting in this case is caused by prolonged exposure to an uncomfortable position or lack of physical activity.

Cell regeneration in any part of the musculoskeletal system occurs slowly, so the disease can progress for years.

According to statistics, the development of the disease begins no earlier than a person reaches twenty years of age. This is due to the fact that children and adolescents lead an active lifestyle, preventing oxygen diffusion from being disrupted.

During adolescence, there is still a nutrient reserve in the cartilage tissues, which is depleted along with changes in the carrier’s lifestyle.

• Based on the above, we can conclude that the factors due to which a vertebral hernia develops are:
• Venous stagnation caused by a sedentary lifestyle;
• Lack of the necessary vitamin and mineral complex in the body;
• Poor choice of mattress and pillow: on a hard mattress, the spine, instead of relaxing, is tense all night;
• Genetic predisposition;
• Severe spinal injuries;

Frequent drinking and smoking.

Progress of the disease

• Signs of a spinal hernia always manifest themselves in pain. First, the patient notices back pain after sleeping in an uncomfortable position. A little later, the pain begins to appear when sharply bending forward or backward and intensifies if the movement involves lifting weights.

We recommend reading: The development of the disease results in the appearance of a weak but sharp pain in the vertebrae when moving. Later it spreads to the leg and is accompanied by numbness.

The condition, accompanied by coughing and sneezing, aggravates the situation: the pain becomes unbearable, the patient requires bed rest. It is possible to get rid of such discomfort: you need to lie on a horizontal surface and raise your legs higher. A pillow or wall to rest your feet on is suitable for this.

• A degenerative-dystrophic process begins, which manifests itself as pain in the spine. At this moment, the annulus fibrosus cracks and its strength decreases. As a result of protrusion of the nucleus pulposus, swelling of the tissues adjacent to the site of destruction occurs, and the process of formation of adhesions begins. As soon as the nucleus comes into contact with the nerve, the patient begins to experience attacks of pain.
• The tension of the nerve root reaches its peak: when inflamed, it provokes pain in the limbs.

Treatment of a vertebral hernia must begin from the first stage of development, otherwise the moment may be missed and further therapy will not bring relief.

• Read also:

Symptoms

As a rule, a vertebral hernia is characterized by general symptoms and treatment. The period in which treatment of intervertebral hernias will be effective begins to be calculated from the moment the first pain appears in the spine or inner thighs. In this case, you must contact a qualified doctor immediately.

At the moment when the disc presses on the nerve root, the patient experiences a feeling of weakness: the legs go numb and lumbago appears in the back. If a spinal hernia has touched the sciatic nerve, then discomfort appears in one of the legs and on the surface of the foot. Moreover, it has the following characteristic features:

• Never appears in both limbs;
• Pain in the leg, characteristic of intervertebral diseases, manifests itself as contractions or gradually increases;
• It can be both permanent and periodic;
• Get stronger when coughing;
• Pain appears in any position except lying down.

Intervertebral hernias of the thoracic and cervical regions give the following symptoms:

• Weakness;
• Pain in one arm;
• Loss of sensation in the shoulder area.

It is important to understand that if you have a herniated disc, symptoms appear gradually. That is why you should not wait until the signs of intervertebral disease intensify and lead to partial or complete paralysis.

Treatment

The human body has an amazing ability to heal itself. Therefore, treatment of an intervertebral hernia, recognized at the initial stage, can take place without medical intervention.

• In this case, it is possible to cure a vertebral hernia within a few months, provided that the patient is constantly at rest. Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will speed up recovery, and taking painkillers will relieve pain. This treatment of a spinal hernia in the initial stage has a significant drawback: it creates reasons for the emergence and development of a new disease. This is due to the weakening of the muscle corset, which cannot withstand the resumption of motor function.

Be sure to read:

• An experienced doctor will tell you how to cure a spinal hernia quickly, while eliminating relapses. Typically, medical staff treat patients diagnosed with a back hernia in the following ways:
• Laser therapy;
• A monthly course of electrophoresis of Karipazim;
• Symptoms of intervertebral hernia are eliminated after 2 sessions of chivamat therapy;

It is possible to get rid of spinal disease with the help of HILT therapy.

Signs of an intervertebral hernia can be identified by an experienced doctor with the necessary qualifications. He can also indicate how to treat a herniated disc. Advice from friends or information from unverified sources leads to complications.

Operations

• Getting rid of a hernia of the cervical spine is problematic, since it is almost impossible to ensure a state of rest for this area. Because of this, inflammation goes away slowly, and constant movement does not allow the pain to subside. Most often, you can get rid of this kind of intervertebral hernia through surgery. It has different meanings:
• Insertion of implants to stabilize the annulus fibrosus;
• A herniated disc is removed using microdiscectomy: the essence of this operation is partial

Plastic surgery of the fibrous ring and tendons.

• Read also:

However, if the symptoms of a spinal hernia include urinary and fecal incontinence, then it is impossible to get rid of the disease using therapeutic methods. This also includes injuries to the spine, the symptoms of which indicate a disease of the lumbar region and consist of partial paralysis of the limbs. Most often, such symptoms appear in men; surgical treatment is prescribed immediately after diagnosis. It is worth remembering that after surgery the risk increases; after a short period of time you will again find out what a hernia is.

Spine stretching

The doctor who prescribed this procedure will tell you how to treat an intervertebral hernia using spinal traction. It is forbidden to engage in independent stretching of the vertebrae: this leads to pinching of the formations and the formation of protrusions. The question of whether a hernial manifestation can be cured in this way is controversial: however, most experts agree that traction should only be used in combination with other methods of therapy.

Medicines

The doctor determines how to treat a vertebral hernia based on the collected medical history and preliminary tests. A blood test shows a general picture of the body and its protective capabilities and helps the doctor decide how to treat a hernia in the spine. Let's look at how to treat a vertebral hernia with medications below:

• First, general therapeutic treatment is prescribed to remove the cause of the intervertebral hernia.
• Specialized treatment for spinal hernia suppresses disease mechanisms
• Symptomatic treatment of intervertebral hernia improves the patient’s quality of life by relieving pain.

Timely treatment will help eliminate the causes and symptoms of intervertebral hernia. The general therapeutic course is accompanied by procedures to alleviate the plight of the sick person: relieve pain and inflammation, improve the nutritional environment at the site of the pain syndrome.

Transdermal ointments

Your doctor will tell you how to treat inflammatory processes in the disc. He will find the functional focus of the disease and prescribe a special transdermal ointment for deep penetration. A good specialist knows that a spinal hernia does not tolerate kneading (massage): strong pressure leads to greater damage. Therefore, the pre-made ointment is rubbed into the inflamed skin with light movements. Transdermal ointment is produced in a medical office: the high organic content makes factory production impossible.

Physio-and manual therapy

In addition to the use of ointment, treatment of intervertebral hernia can be carried out using physiotherapy. It helps the penetration of nutrients and healing substances into the joint. Manual therapy relieves pain after the first sessions, but its use is indicated in conjunction with a general therapeutic course. In the absence of the latter, a herniated disc will reappear after a certain period of time. This is due to the fact that what causes the intervertebral hernia has not been eliminated.

The spine consists of many individual bones - vertebrae, which, located one above the other, form the spinal column. Between the vertebrae there are flat and round pads (intervertebral discs) that act as shock absorbers that prevent the vertebrae from rubbing against each other. Inside each disc is a soft, gel-like center called the nucleus pulposus, surrounded by a hard, fibrous outer layer called the annulus fibrosus.

A herniated disc occurs when pressure from the upper and lower vertebrae causes part of the nucleus pulposus to squeeze out through a weakened or torn area of ​​the annulus fibrosus. Once in the spinal canal, the nucleus pulposus can compress the nerves located next to the disc, which leads to pain.

Intervertebral hernias most often appear in the lower (lumbar) and cervical spine: however, the formation of a disc herniation in the thoracic region is also possible, especially in the presence of various curvatures of the spine. A herniated disc is the most common cause of neck, back and/or leg pain (sciatica).

What you need to know about herniated discs?

• Intervertebral discs are flat pads that act as shock absorbers between the vertebral bodies, minimizing the pressure that the vertebrae place on each other as the spine moves.
• Each disc consists of a gel-like center (nucleus pulposus) surrounded by a hard outer shell (annulus fibrosus).
• An intervertebral hernia occurs when part of the nucleus pulposus is squeezed into the spinal canal through a crack or tear in the fibrous ring.
• Most often, a herniated disc appears between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae (L4-L5).
• If the herniated disc is large enough, it can compress the nearby spinal nerves that exit the spine at the same level as the herniated disc.
• A medical examination and an MRI scan can help diagnose a herniated disc.
• Depending on the severity of the symptoms, treatment of intervertebral hernia can be carried out using conservative methods (spinal traction, massages, therapeutic exercises). Indications for surgical treatment are rare.
• Surgical treatment does not eliminate the cause of the formation of intervertebral hernia, but is used in case of threat of irreversible complications. However, surgical treatment itself can cause serious complications.

What is the structure of the spine and intervertebral discs?

Between the vertebral bodies (the body is the largest component of the vertebrae) are intervertebral discs. The spine consists of 7 vertebrae in the cervical spine (cervical vertebrae), 12 vertebrae in the thoracic spine (thoracic vertebrae), and 5 vertebrae in the lumbar spine (lumbar vertebrae). In addition, at the level of the buttocks, under the fifth lumbar vertebra, there is the sacral spine, which then passes into the coccyx.

The spine is designed in such a way that the vertebrae, located one above the other, form a whole, which is a mobile supporting structure that, among other things, protects the spinal cord (nervous tissue located in the spinal canal) from damage. Each vertebra has a spinous process, which is a bony projection behind the spinal cord that protects the spinal cord from injury. The vertebrae also have an impressive bony "body" that sits in front of the spinal cord and serves as a platform that bears most of the load placed on the spine.

Discs are flat and round pads that act as shock absorbers between the vertebral bodies, minimizing the pressure placed on the spinal column during movement. Each disc is structured the same way: a gel-like center (nucleus pulposus) surrounded by a hard shell (annulus fibrosus). Ligaments are strong, fibrous, soft tissue that bind bones tightly together. When ligaments become damaged due to intervertebral disc degeneration, it can cause localized pain in the affected area.

Causes of intervertebral hernia

As described above, each intervertebral disc consists of a gel-like nucleus pulposus surrounded by a dense and durable membrane (annulus fibrosus). If disc degeneration begins as a result of tissue damage or wear and tear that occurs with age, part of the nucleus pulposus may be squeezed out through a tear in the outer shell. This phenomenon is called intervertebral hernia.

Most often, a herniated disc appears between the fourth and fifth vertebrae in the lumbar spine. There is constant pressure on this area as it must support the weight of the entire upper body. This becomes especially true when sitting or standing. In addition, the lower spine is actively involved in the movement of the body during everyday activities, such as when we turn our torso from side to side or bend and straighten our back when bending or lifting objects.

Symptoms of intervertebral hernia

Symptoms of a herniated disc can vary depending on the location of the herniation and the type of soft tissue damaged. They can range from a complete absence of pain or mild pain symptoms, if only the intervertebral disc is damaged, to acute and unrelenting pain in the cervical or lumbar spine, radiating to the areas innervated by those nerve roots that are pinched by the hernia. Often, a herniated disc is not diagnosed immediately when patients come to the doctor with pain in the hips, knees or feet of unknown origin. Other symptoms may include sensory changes such as numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, paralysis, paresthesia and changes in reflexes. If the herniated disc is in the lumbar spine, the patient may develop sciatica due to irritation or compression of one of the nerve roots of the sciatic nerve. Unlike throbbing pain or pain that comes and goes, which can be caused by muscle spasm, pain from a herniated disc is usually permanent or at least constantly felt in a certain position of the body. There is a chance that if there is a herniated disc, the patient will not experience pain or other noticeable symptoms due to the location of the herniation. If the nucleus pulposus material does not put pressure on the soft tissues and nerves, the hernia may not cause any symptoms for a certain time.

Symptoms usually affect only one side of the body. If the hernia is very large and compresses the spinal cord or cauda equina in the lumbar region, both sides of the body can be affected, often with serious consequences. Compression of the cauda equina can cause severe nerve damage or paralysis. Nerve damage can cause loss of bladder and bowel control and sexual dysfunction. This condition is called cauda equina syndrome. Other complications include chronic pain.

Pain due to intervertebral hernia

At the moment, the scientific community has recognized the importance of the so-called. "chemical radiculitis" in the formation of pain in the spine. The main focus of surgery is to relieve compression or relieve mechanical compression on the spinal cord or nerve root. But more and more people are recognizing that spinal pain, rather than being caused solely by compression of nerve structures, can also be associated with chemical inflammation. There are studies that point to a specific inflammatory mediator for this pain. An inflammatory molecule called tumor necrosis factor (TNF, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, English tumor necrosis factor, TNF) is produced not only in cases of herniated intervertebral discs, but also in cases of cracks in the annulus fibrosus, problems with the facet joints, and also for spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal). In addition to causing pain and inflammation, TNF may also contribute to disc degeneration. However, the isolated use of drugs against tumor necrosis factor is also unjustified (such studies are increasingly found in scientific articles). This approach does not in any way affect the compression of the nerve root of the hernia itself, and treatment of the intervertebral hernia is not only ineffective, but also unreasonably expensive. To exclude chemical factors of inflammation during disc herniation, we successfully use hirudotherapy as part of the treatment complex.

In most cases, intervertebral hernias occur in the lumbar and cervical spine. The thoracic region is rarely affected. Hernias are characterized by a posterolateral location, since in this area the fibrous ring (the outer shell of the disc) is most susceptible to various influences and is not supported by the anterior or posterior longitudinal ligaments.

In the cervical spine, a symptomatic posterolateral disc herniation may compress the nerves leaving the spinal canal between the two vertebrae on one side. So, for example, a right posterolateral disc herniation between the C5 and C6 vertebrae will compress the right root of the C6 nerve. The remainder of the spinal cord, however, is positioned differently, so a symptomatic posterolateral herniation between two vertebrae will compress the nerve running down from the next intervertebral foramen. So, for example, a herniated disc between the L5 and S1 vertebrae will compress the S1 nerve root, which exits between the S1 and S2 vertebrae.

Diagnosis of intervertebral hernia

Your doctor will begin evaluating your condition with a complete physical examination and a medical history that includes detailed information about your symptoms. He or she will perform a neurological examination to check muscle reflexes, sensation, and muscle strength.

Your doctor may also recommend other diagnostic tests to confirm the diagnosis or learn more about the location and size of the herniated disc.

These tests may include:

• X-ray. X-rays use small doses of radiation to produce images of the body. An X-ray of the spine may be needed to rule out other causes of low back or neck pain;
• computed tomography (CT). A CT scan is a diagnostic image created after a computer reads an x-ray. A CT scan can show the shape and size of the spinal canal, its contents, and nearby structures, including soft tissue. However, visual confirmation of herniated disc may be difficult for this study;
• magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This is a diagnostic test that produces three-dimensional images of our body structures using powerful magnets and computer technology. It can show the spinal cord, nerve roots and surrounding areas, as well as degeneration and tumors. MRI shows soft tissue better than CT. An MRI image taken with a high-field machine usually provides the most convincing signs of a herniated disc. T2-weighted images provide clear visualization of disc material in the spinal canal;
• myelogram; A myeologram is an injection of a contrast agent into the spinal canal during a CT scan. A myelogram helps to more accurately determine the size and location of an intervertebral hernia. This test may pose a risk to the patient's health.
• electromyelogram (EMG); In EMG, small needles are inserted into various muscles to measure electrical activity. EMG measures muscle response, which indicates the degree of nerve activity. An EMG can help determine which nerve root is being compressed by a herniated disc.

The gold standard for diagnosing a disc herniation is still an MRI of the affected part of the spine. It is logical to carry out other studies after the MRI.

Treatment of intervertebral hernia

For the vast majority of people suffering from intervertebral hernias, the so-called. "conservative" treatments, which may include:

• spinal traction to increase intervertebral distances;
• specially designed therapeutic exercises (therapeutic exercises);
• manual massage;
• acupuncture;
• reflexology;
• vacuum massage;
• various types of massages, for example, using ebonite rollers, etc.

In rare, most severe cases, patients need to undergo a consultation with a neurosurgeon to choose the most adequate surgical method. Patients who have opted for surgery should remember that spine surgery can lead to a number of serious and permanent complications, so before going for surgery, it is better to consult with a neurosurgeon who will help you make a choice that is appropriate to the situation.

Surgery may be beneficial for patients with herniated discs that cause cauda equina syndrome, often associated with the presence of a herniated disc in an anatomically narrow spinal canal.

A discectomy (partial removal of the disc causing leg pain) may provide relief faster than non-surgical treatment. Discectomy has better results at 1 year, but not at 4 or 10 years. Studies of less aggressive microdiscectomy have shown no significant differences in results.

We do not recommend the use of surgical treatment with the installation of various metal fixators, since in the future the patient cannot receive adequate conservative treatment for the intervertebral hernia and must undergo repeated operations.

Over the past 2 years, we have not been able to take a single patient for conservative treatment after a complete disc replacement due to the instability of the artificial disc and the presence of fixing devices and were forced to refer these patients for repeated operations, which greatly increases the possibility of patient disability.

The choice of surgical treatment for intervertebral hernia must be carefully justified due to the presence of frequent complications and the low effectiveness of the operation.

Risk factors for developing intervertebral hernia

Factors that increase the risk of herniated discs may include:

• weight. Excess body weight causes additional pressure on the discs of the lumbar spine;
• Kind of activity. People who do physical work have a greater risk of developing spinal problems. Repeated lifting of heavy objects, twisting, etc. may increase the risk of intervertebral hernia;
• genetics. Some people inherit a tendency to develop herniated discs.

How common are herniated discs?

Intervertebral hernias are very common. They usually occur in people between 35 and 55 years of age. Men suffer from herniated discs more often than women.

What to do in case of intervertebral hernia?

Our spinal cord ends at the bottom of the spinal canal. Just below the waist it divides into groups of long nerve roots (cauda equina; "horse tail") that resemble a horse's tail. In rare cases, a herniated disc compresses the entire cauda equina. If this occurs, immediate medical attention may be required to avoid permanent weakness or paralysis.

Seek immediate medical attention if:

• your symptoms get worse. Pain, numbness, or weakness may increase to the point that you are unable to perform normal activities;
• there is a loss of sensation during urination and/or defecation. People who have cauda equina syndrome may suffer from incontinence or have trouble urinating even when their bladder is full;
• saddle anesthesia. This progressive loss of sensation affects areas that would come into contact with the saddle: the inner thighs, the back of the legs, and the areas around the rectum.
• the pain radiates down the leg and goes up to the foot.
• restrictions on hand mobility.
• surges in blood pressure.

Prognosis for intervertebral hernia

The prognosis with effective conservative treatment is favorable. To maintain the effect of treatment, it is necessary to do special gymnastics daily. People who work in jobs that require heavy lifting need to change their activity to avoid spinal injuries.

Intervertebral hernia does not affect life expectancy, only its quality. A threat to life can arise only during surgical treatment or after it due to severe inflammation at the surgical site.

Prevention of intervertebral hernia

It is not always possible to prevent a herniated disc, but here are some steps you can take to reduce the risk:

• Use proper lifting techniques. Don't bend at the waist. Bend your knees with your back straight and use your strong leg muscles to help support the load;
• maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight puts additional stress on the spine;
• Practice correct posture when walking, sitting, standing or sleeping. For example, stand straight with your shoulders slightly back, your stomach pulled in and your lower back flat. Sit with your feet flat on the floor or slightly elevated. Sleep on a firm mattress, on your side or back, but not on your stomach;
• perform exercises to stretch the spine if you are forced to sit for a long time;
• do not wear high-heeled shoes;
• play sports to maintain the tone and strength of the muscles of your back, legs and abdomen. Do aerobic exercise regularly. When creating a program, try to find a balance between strength and flexibility exercises;
• stop smoking;
• Eat healthy, well-balanced foods.

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnosis is carried out with such conditions as:

• mechanical pain;
• spinal stenosis (stenosis (narrowing) of the spinal canal);
• abscess;
• hematoma;
• discitis/osteomyelitis;
• benign neoplasm/cancerous tumor;
• myocardial infarction;
• aortic dissection.

Article publication date: 06/30/2015

Article updated date: 11/10/2018

Treatment of vertebral hernia is carried out in two ways: 1) with the help of surgery and 2) conservatively.

Contrary to popular belief among patients, surgery for a disc herniation is not mandatory and is indicated only when symptoms of compression of the spinal nerve roots develop (loss of sensation, impaired movement in the limbs, involuntary urination and defecation, etc.). In all other cases, it is preferable to use conservative therapy: this is drug treatment, gymnastics, massage, manual therapy, physiotherapy.

Eleven main methods of treating intervertebral hernia (the links in the list below are clickable - this is a small content of the article):

The optimal treatment regimen in each specific case is chosen by a neurologist after a detailed examination, and in case of dysfunction of the limbs and (or) pelvic organs, a consultation with a neurosurgeon is also necessary. Treatment of a vertebral hernia is not an easy task, and its solution will require not only a competent specialist, but also the active participation of the patient himself.

A long-term, stable positive effect is achieved by regular complex treatment, and not by isolated or one-time use of individual areas of therapy. Thus, even after performing an operation to eliminate a hernia, in order to avoid the return of the disease in other parts of the spine and the development of postoperative complications, the patient must follow recommendations for physical activity, wear a fixing corset, perform special exercises, and undergo physiotherapy courses.

In the absence of indications for surgery, treatment of a spinal hernia can be successfully carried out at home: follow a daily routine, diet, perform therapeutic exercises daily, and take medications. You can supplement treatment at home with traditional methods, but it is better to entrust physiotherapy, massage, manual therapy and oriental medicine techniques to specialist doctors in this field, conducting courses.

In a hospital, conservative treatment of a hernia is carried out only in severe cases of the disease: with acute unbearable pain or with the development of neurological symptoms (impaired functions of the pelvic organs, motor and sensory disorders). In the latter case, inpatient treatment is a preparatory stage for subsequent surgery.

Treatment methods for spinal hernia as the condition worsens

1. Therapeutic gymnastics

Treatment for vertebral hernias is unthinkable without gymnastics. Special exercises performed daily give amazing results: they relieve pain, restore spinal mobility and the ability for strong, active movements, and improve overall well-being and mood.

• The most effective stretching exercises are: hanging on the bars, smooth bending and stretching from a supine position, and other techniques of so-called “traction gymnastics.”
• Additionally, do exercises to strengthen your back and chest muscles.
• Exercises in the pool have an excellent healing effect.
• It is highly advisable to perform gymnastics under the supervision of a physical therapy doctor or trainer. If this is not possible, have at least one consultation with a physical therapy specialist, who will give you detailed recommendations on the technique of performing gymnastics and recommend the most useful exercises.

2. Medicines

In the medical treatment of spinal hernia, the following 8 groups of drugs are used:

Group of drugs, action of drugs	Examples of drugs
1. Painkillers.	To relieve severe pain, intramuscular injection of painkillers (ketorol, baralgin, analgin) or novocaine blockade (in a hospital setting) is prescribed.
2. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) by injection or for oral administration. Allows you to relieve swelling and reduce pain.	The drugs diclofenac, xefocam, movalis, ibuprofen, nimesulide have a good effect. But they have a lot of unwanted side effects, so they are prescribed in short courses (about a week). For long-term use, NSAID gels, ointments and creams are used.
3. Muscle relaxants reduce increased muscle tone.	Diazepam, mydocalm, sirdalud.
4. Drugs that restore microcirculation of blood and lymph.	Pentoxifylline, berlition, actovegin.
5. B vitamins restore pinched or damaged nerve fibers.	B vitamins are used separately or in combination (preparations "Neuromultivit", "Milgamma").
6. Chondroprotectors restore the structure of cartilage tissue.	Dona, structum.
7. Vitamin D and calcium preparations.	Alpha D 3 -teva, calcium-D 3 Nycomed.
8. Antidepressants are used for chronic pain, neurological disorders, depression against the background of limited movement and the inability to engage in usual activities.	Paroxetine, fluoxetine, remeron.

3. Massage

Massage is also an essential component of the complex treatment of intervertebral hernias. It is prescribed in any period of the disease (exacerbation or remission), but depending on the patient’s condition, the massage therapist will use different massage techniques and techniques.

Professional massage in courses of 10 days every 2-3 months can significantly improve the patient’s well-being.

Existing types of massage. Depending on the patient’s condition, one or another type is used. Click on photo to enlarge

4. Manual therapy

Regarding the advisability of using manual therapy for spinal hernias, the opinions of doctors differ: some are convinced of its effectiveness (and indeed, in the initial stages, some patients managed to get rid of the hernia without surgery using manual therapy), others are categorically against manual therapy and consider it dangerous.

Manual therapy should definitely not be used in patients who have developed neurological disorders.

In other cases, consult your doctor about the possibility of performing manual therapy, and contact only real experienced specialists, preferably neurologists with additional specialization in manual therapy. Finding such a doctor can be difficult, but you can only entrust complex manipulations with your spine to a qualified specialist.

5. Physiotherapy

For intervertebral hernias, various methods of physiotherapy are used: medicinal electrophoresis, magnetic field, laser, diadynamic currents, therapeutic mud, showers, baths, etc. Each of the methods has its own specific indications and limitations for use, therefore a specific physiotherapy regimen is selected by a neurologist in individually depending on the stage and phase of the disease.

Laser therapy is becoming increasingly popular in the treatment of vertebral hernia

6. Mode of physical activity and rest

A regimen of physical activity and rest is an important component of successful treatment of vertebral hernias.

(if the table is not completely visible, scroll to the right)

"Component" of the mode	Explanations
Elimination of loads on the spinal column	It is strictly forbidden to lift and carry heavy objects; but strength training with lifting a load from a lying position in the gym is allowed (after consultation with your doctor and under the supervision of a trainer). Long and high jumps are prohibited.
Teaching the patient how to carefully handle the spine	The patient must move correctly: avoid sudden or strong bending and hyperextension, twisting of the spine, prolonged work in positions that are uncomfortable and harmful to the back (half-bent over, sitting). Walking should be calm and smooth.
The patient must properly arrange a place to sleep	The condition of the mattress or the surface on which you sleep is of great importance for relaxing the spine and relieving back pain. Under no circumstances should you sleep on soft, unevenly sagging mattresses, feather beds, or use large pillows. It is recommended to sleep in a supine position on special orthopedic mattresses, wooden boards with a thin mattress laid on top; in case of their absence, you can sleep on the floor at least for the period of exacerbation (if there are no drafts and the house is warm), laying a thin mattress or using no fully inflated air mattress. It is preferable to replace pillows with dense bolsters, placing them under the lower back and under the head - to ensure maximum traction of the spine and correct pathological bends.

7. Wearing a back brace

Wearing a corset with a flexible but dense base is an excellent preventive and therapeutic measure for intervertebral hernias. People who are not accustomed to monitoring their posture constantly “forget” during the day, slouch, and bend their back incorrectly. The corset fixes the spine in the correct position, while maintaining sufficient freedom of movement.

And after surgical treatment of vertebral hernias, wearing a corset is mandatory - to speed up recovery and prevent relapses.

You can purchase a corset at a specialized orthopedic store.

8. Diet

Following a diet in the treatment of vertebral hernias is important if the patient is overweight. Obesity is one of the main factors that provoke the occurrence of a hernia and aggravate its course. Such patients must understand that without weight normalization, successful treatment is impossible.

For weight loss, low-calorie, fractional meals are prescribed, limiting easily digestible carbohydrates (sugar, confectionery, baked goods, pasta) and enriching the diet with foods high in plant fiber, which, although low in nutritional value, gives a feeling of satiety, absorbs cholesterol and stimulates the intestines (bran bread , whole grain cereals, fresh vegetables).

For both normal and overweight people, you should limit or completely eliminate salt from your diet (increases swelling), smoked, pickled, spicy foods and dishes, alcohol (increases pain, swelling).

9. Oriental medicine

Oriental medicine is a relatively new direction for Russia, the effectiveness of which is doubted by many representatives of classical, traditional medicine, including neurologists.

However, many patients give good reviews about acupuncture, su-jok therapy, zhen-ju and other techniques, noting excellent pain-relieving and healing effects.

10. Traditional methods

Treatment of spinal hernia with folk recipes is an additional remedy. Rubbing tinctures with medicinal herbs (golden mustache, etc.) and turpentine baths give good results.

11. Operation

There are several types of operations for intervertebral hernias.

Low-traumatic and highly effective - microsurgical interventions (with access through a small incision and removal of only damaged tissue) and endoscopic operations, when the removal of a disc herniation is carried out using an endoscope (a special device that provides the surgeon with an overview and the ability to manipulate surgical instruments) inserted through a small incision.

Also today, operations are carried out with the installation of implants that perform the functions of a removed disc.

Surgical treatment of a vertebral hernia makes it possible to completely eliminate the hernia, but does not prevent its appearance in other parts of the pathologically altered spine. Therefore, even after the operation, it is necessary to follow a regimen, wear a corset, and perform exercises.

Summary

remember, that self-medication and treatment exclusively with traditional methods for intervertebral hernia are unacceptable– this is fraught with aggravation of the severity of the patient’s condition and the occurrence of severe complications, which cannot be eliminated without surgery.

The treatment regimen for a hernia is drawn up by a neurologist strictly individually, depending on the severity of symptoms, the presence or absence of neurological symptoms, the size of the hernia and other factors.

Owner and responsible for the site and content: Afinogenov Alexey.