Osteochondrosis is a disease of the musculoskeletal system, accompanied by degenerative changes in the joints. Most often, the spine is affected, namely the cartilage that connects the discs and provides them with movable articulation. Under certain conditions, their tissue wears out and becomes thin, and the nerve endings become pinched between the vertebrae, which leads to severe pain in different parts of the back.
The diagnosis of “osteochondrosis” can be made by different specialists - a neurologist, a neurosurgeon, a rheumatologist. This is done after a full examination of the spinal column.
The doctor selects the optimal treatment tactics for the patient, including taking medications and using physical therapy methods. In addition, you need to rebuild your lifestyle, eliminating all factors that negatively affect your health. Thus, people with osteochondrosis need to reconsider the frequency of their consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Chemical composition and dosage forms
The active compound of the drug is vinpocetine. It has a vasodilator (vasodilator), antioxidant, neuroprotective effect, stimulates metabolic processes in tissues, and normalizes the rheological properties of blood.
Cavinton is produced in two pharmaceutical forms:
- Tablets: in blisters, white, with the Cavinton inscription engraved on the surface, the dosage of the active substance is 5 mg. Auxiliary components of the drug: silicon dioxide, talc, magnesium stearate, starch.
- Infusion solution in ampoules of 2 and 5 ml, used intravenously. In addition to vinpocetine, it contains distilled water, ascorbic and tartaric acids, and sorbitol.
Compatibility of alcohol with drugs
Osteochondrosis is a disease that cannot be treated without medications. All of them are aimed at preventing inflammation, improving blood circulation, and relieving acute symptoms.
In addition, doctors prescribe specialized medications, including for the rapid restoration of damaged cartilage tissue.
Practice shows that alcohol slows down the progress of treatment. Doctors attribute this to the fact that alcohol often reduces the effectiveness of medications. As a result, the person will not receive the expected effect.
There is another reason to give up alcohol. Ethyl alcohol from drinks is metabolized and excreted by the liver, therefore, the iron experiences double the load. Waste drugs are also removed thanks to this organ. To avoid liver problems, you need to stop drinking strong drinks until the end of therapy.
How Cavinton works
The instructions for use of the drug inform that vinpocetine belongs to the category of cerebrovasodilating substances. It stimulates metabolism and nutrition of the brain, prevents the development of atherosclerotic lesions, improves the absorption of glucose and oxygen by cells. Cavinton helps improve the functioning of the adrenal glands, helps the exchange of norepinephrine, serotonin and other hormones.
The drug works selectively. Affects cerebral blood volume, reduces resistance of the cerebral vasculature. This process helps restore circulation in tissue areas exposed to ischemia. At the same time, the activity of the general blood circulation does not change. Heart rate and blood pressure levels remain the same after taking the medicine. The so-called reverse steal effect ensures that the affected areas remain viable. Cavinton:
- normalizes blood viscosity;
- reduces excessive platelet aggregation;
- increases cell resistance to hypoxic effects;
- slows down the penetration of adenosine into red blood cells, making them more elastic and preventing breakdown.
The drug tablets quickly dissolve in the stomach and are absorbed into the blood. The effect of the substance reaches its maximum within 1–1.5 hours. The effectiveness of injections is slightly higher. The drug does not accumulate in the body. It is excreted completely, without forming metabolites, along with feces and urine within 24 hours after administration.
Features of the disease
This is one of the most common pathologies of the spine. To understand what happens in the body during this disease, it is necessary to consider the anatomical structure of this part of the musculoskeletal system.
The pillar itself consists of several fragments similar to each other - vertebrae. These are bone formations connected to each other by cartilage tissue - a kind of discs. They all have holes in the center through which the spinal cord passes. From its central part, a nerve emerges into each cartilaginous disc, which is responsible for the motor activity of various parts of the body.
The spine is a mobile structure. Due to this property, a person is able to perform all manipulations with the body - bending, turning. Over time, the cartilage tissue wears away, which leads to pinched nerves between the discs. This provokes painful sensations, which gradually only increase in intensity.
In addition, cartilage tissue undergoes degenerative changes with age and becomes thin and fragile. This fact explains why osteochondrosis often develops in people after 35-40 years of age.
What is Cavinton used for?
The drug eliminates vascular damage, restores blood circulation, microcirculation and normal metabolism in various locations. Therefore, the list of his indications is extensive.
Neurological disorders:
- vertebrobasilar insufficiency of cerebral vessels;
- post-stroke condition: as part of complex treatment;
- transient ischemic attacks;
- vascular dementia;
- encephalopathy after traumatic brain injury, as a result of hypertension;
- damage to various parts of the brain associated with disruption of their nutrition and blood supply;
- memory impairment, mental disorders;
- movement coordination disorders;
- headache.
In ophthalmology, Cavinton is used to relieve vascular disorders that have caused deterioration of vision and the development of degenerative processes:
- with vasospasm, dystrophy of the retina of the fundus of the eye;
- atherosclerotic changes in capillaries;
- with secondary glaucoma;
- for diabetic eye lesions;
- with thrombosis and embolic processes.
In otolaryngology, Cavinton is used for hearing impairment and lesions of the vestibular apparatus:
- age-related dizziness;
- Meniere's disease;
- hearing loss;
- motion sickness syndrome;
- tinnitus;
- cochleovestibular neuritis;
- complications caused by inflammation of the middle ear;
- various vasovegetative pathologies.
How to use Cavinton correctly: instructions
The medication is approved for patients over 18 years of age. Treatment with the drug in tablets requires long-term administration. The full course ranges from 1 to 8 months, depending on the type of disease. On average, to achieve pronounced results, Cavinton is taken for 3–4 months in a row:
- 1 tab. three times a day, without chewing;
- You need to take the medicine with a large volume of water;
- time of administration: 1–1.5 hours after meals.
The infusion drug must be administered intravenously: through a syringe or through droppers. Intramuscular use of the product is prohibited.
- Before use, Cavinton is diluted in saline solution at the rate of: 20 ml of concentrate per 500 ml of liquid;
- the prepared solution is suitable for use within 3 hours;
- therapy is carried out by administering 80 drops of the drug per minute.
The exact treatment regimen is formed by the doctor, taking into account the indications and general condition of the patient’s body. Cavinton should be discontinued gradually, gradually reducing the dosage over 3–5 days.
The medicine does not have a toxic effect on the kidneys and liver. It should be used with caution in case of hemorrhagic stroke: no earlier than 7 days after the attack.
Can alcohol provoke osteochondrosis?
A specialist from any field of medicine will confirm that alcoholic beverages are dangerous to health. Sometimes even small amounts of alcohol have a detrimental effect on the functioning of many organ systems. Doctors explain that alcohol can actually worsen the condition of the support system.
In fact, alcohol only indirectly affects the development of osteochondrosis.
There is no direct connection between drinking strong drinks and illness.
However, do not forget that alcohol disrupts the functioning of all other organ systems that can affect the condition of the spine.
In addition, doctors are convinced that alcohol is contraindicated for people who have already been diagnosed with the disease. Their spine is especially vulnerable, so possible exposure to negative factors should be minimized.
When is Cavinton contraindicated?
Contraindications include:
- children's age: up to 18 years, the vascular system is imperfect;
- during pregnancy and lactation: due to the insufficiently studied effect of the drug on the body of the fetus and newborns;
- lactose intolerance;
- severe heart damage accompanied by arrhythmia;
- hypersensitivity to the components of the drug.
Cavinton is prohibited from being used in conjunction with heparin preparations due to the risk of a sharp decrease in blood clotting. Simultaneous intake of alcohol is also prohibited, since the active substance enhances its toxic properties.
Main causes of the disease
The mechanism of development of the disease is simple. Due to the loss of elasticity and abrasion of the cartilage discs between the vertebrae, the nerve endings are pinched, which leads to sharp, shooting, sometimes throbbing pain. Neurologists explain that the causes of the pathology may be different, but all of them, one way or another, lead to problems with the spine.
- Passive lifestyle. It has been proven that problems with the spine are typical for those who move little and are forced to stay in the same position for a long time. These are seamstresses, laboratory assistants, and office workers. Statistics confirm that it is representatives of these professions who most often encounter osteochondrosis of the cervical spine due to the fact that their spine constantly bends in this area.
- Overweight.
People with a high body mass index almost always have health problems. Excess fat puts direct pressure on all internal organs, often leading to their deformation and dysfunction. The musculoskeletal system is no exception. Overweight patients are often diagnosed with osteochondrosis. - Physical exercise. By the way, intense training and heavy lifting can also trigger the disease. Under such circumstances, the cartilaginous intervertebral discs wear out much faster, and most often this happens in the lumbar region.
- Heredity. There is a theory explaining why osteochondrosis can be passed on from generation to generation. At the same time, doctors clarify that there is no gene for the disease as such, but a certain sequence of the DNA chain may determine a predisposition to early dystrophic changes in the spine.
- Poor nutrition. You need to treat your own diet responsibly. An elementary lack of water and microelements can trigger destructive changes in the tissues of the musculoskeletal system, which will not be easy to stop and slow down.
- Rachiocampsis. Osteochondrosis is not always an independent disease. In some cases, this is a complication of any existing pathologies, including scoliosis that formed in childhood.
- Injuries. Physical damage to the spine can also provoke osteochondrosis. This often happens due to falls, blows, or bruises.
- Atypical load on the spine. The human skeleton is adapted to walking upright, but maintaining the body in an upright position is accompanied by enormous loads. Sometimes people make the situation even worse, for example, by choosing uncomfortable shoes with high heels or completely flat soles.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely eliminate from life all factors that stimulate the development of the disease. It is for this reason that osteochondrosis is perhaps the most common disease of the musculoskeletal system.
It is noteworthy that its exact origin is not fully understood. There is an opinion that the causes of pathology can be stress and bad habits, including smoking and drinking alcohol.
