How to cure osteochondrosis with muscle relaxants?

Composition and dosage forms

The drug is available in the form of tablets for oral administration: white or cream-colored, biconvex, with a characteristic medicinal odor. Dosage of the active component: 50 and 150 mg.

The active ingredient of the drug is tolperisone hydrochloride, which has a relaxing effect on the fibers of muscle tissue. Each tablet, in addition to the active component, contains auxiliary and formative components:

• lactose;
• lemon acid;
• stearic acid;
• crospovidone.

The drug shell contains: talc, titanium dioxide, polyvinyl chloride and other components.

Cartilage Defenders

And the last group of external agents used for osteochondrosis are chondroprotectors. It is represented by drugs with one active ingredient - chondroitin sulfate, which is available in the form of cream and gel. The instructions for use indicate that it stimulates the synthesis of the main substance of connective tissue, proteoglycans and hyaluronic acid, and prevents damage to the cartilage matrix [6]. There is data indicating a slowdown in the progression of osteochondrosis, a decrease in the severity of pain and inflammation, and stimulation of the restoration of articular cartilage against the background of local chondroitin therapy. However, it should be noted that the evidence base for the effectiveness of chondroitin sulfate in pathologies of the musculoskeletal system is insufficient. Thus, a 2007 review systematizing the results of 20 clinical studies that studied the properties of chondroitin as a treatment for osteoarthritis showed that the symptomatic effect of the drug was insignificant [7]. In the USA, chondroitin is produced only as part of dietary supplements and cosmetics. Nevertheless, in the Russian Federation, chondroprotectors are very popular for dystrophic and inflammatory-dystrophic diseases of the joints, including various types of osteochondrosis.

Sources

1. Ytrehus B, Carlson CS, Ekman S (July 2007). "Etiology and pathogenesis of osteochondrosis". Vet. Pathol. 44 (4): 429–48.
2. Resnick D. Osteochondroses. Resnick D. Diagnosis of bone and joint disorders. 4th. Philadelphia, Pa: W. B. Saunders; 2002. 4: 3686–741.
3. Nikiforov A. S., Mendel O. I. Osteochondrosis of the spine: pathogenesis, neurological manifestations and modern approaches to treatment //Ukr. honey. clock-writer - 2009. T. 5. P. 6.
4. Badokin V.V. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in local therapy of rheumatic diseases // Attending physician. — 2010. No. 4. P. 72–74.
5. Fattori V. et al. Capsaicin: current understanding of its mechanisms and therapy of pain and other pre-clinical and clinical uses //Molecules. — 2021. T. 21. No. 7. P. 844.
6. Mazieres, B; Combe, B; Phan Van, A; Tondut, J; Grynfeltt, M ​​(January 2001). "Chondroitin sulfate in osteoarthritis of the knee: a prospective, double blind, placebo controlled multicenter clinical study." The Journal of rheumatology. 28 (1): 173–81. PMID 11196521. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
7. Reichenbach S. et al. Meta-analysis: chondroitin for osteoarthritis of the knee or hip // Annals of internal medicine. - 2007. T. 146. No. 8. P. 580–590.

Mechanism of action of the drug Tolperisone

The drug selectively inhibits the activity of parts of the brain responsible for regulating the motor functions of muscles. It has a central anticholinergic effect, has a slight antispasmodic effect, expands the lumen and reduces vascular tone. Tolperisone does not affect the activity of the peripheral nervous system.

The drug tablets dissolve and are absorbed into the blood in the gastrointestinal tract. Their active component has a bioavailability of about 20%. The effect of the medicine begins 20–30 minutes after administration, reaching a maximum within 1–1.5 hours. The effect lasts 4–5 hours. The medication does not accumulate in the body. All its substances are transformed in the liver. Metabolites are excreted through the kidneys in the urine within 6–8 hours.

Manual therapy for thoracic osteochondrosis in Moscow

One of the most effective ways to treat thoracic osteochondrosis is manual therapy, since it not only allows you to work out the muscles well, but also involves influencing the spine. This is how it differs from therapeutic massage, which is also very useful for osteochondrosis, but is not able to have the same effect as manual therapy, since it does not involve the spine.

But for manual therapy to bring only benefits, you need to be careful when choosing a specialist to carry it out, because the effect on the spine must be carried out with pinpoint precision. Otherwise, there is a high risk of complications.

Manual therapy sessions begin with stroking and relaxing the muscles. The doctor works well on each area of ​​the back, eliminating spasms and preparing the soft tissues for more active action. After this, he begins to use mobilization and manipulation techniques, which may sometimes be accompanied by minor discomfort and crunching.

The method of manual therapy by Gritsenko A.G. deserves special attention, according to which you can undergo treatment for thoracic osteochondrosis in Moscow at the Institute of Human Restoration clinic. It is distinguished by the use of special techniques that have proven themselves over the course of 20 years as one of the most highly effective. They allow not only to have a beneficial effect on the affected intervertebral discs, but also to improve the quality of functioning of all internal organs, because, as mentioned above, they have a close relationship with the spine.

In general, a course of manual therapy sessions provides:

• restoration of the correct anatomy of the spine with the return of the vertebrae to their assigned places;
• increasing the distance between the vertebral bodies, which has a beneficial effect on the condition of the intervertebral discs by reducing the pressure exerted on them;
• normalization of muscle tone;
• elimination of functional blocks;
• improving the functioning of the lungs, bronchi, heart, and gastrointestinal tract;
• increasing immunity and reducing exposure to allergens.

At the same time, an improvement in well-being is observed after the first session. Subsequently, patients note a progressive reduction in pain and improvement in general condition, increased performance and mood.

For what diseases is Tolperisone indicated?

It is recommended to use the drug in the following conditions:

• increased tone, muscle spasms;
• spastic contractures of the limbs;
• cerebral palsy;
• dysfunction of the spinal cord;
• rigidity, muscle dystonia;
• obliterating sclerosis of the extremities;
• Raynaud's syndrome;
• diabetic angiopathy, thromboangiitis and other manifestations of arterial damage;
• Parkinson's disease;
• acrocyanosis, dysbasia, other painful conditions caused by disorders of vascular innervation;
• disturbances of venous circulation and lymph movement in conditions after thrombosis;
• vascular encephalopathy;
• infantile spastic paralysis;
• trophic ulcers of the lower extremities;
• epilepsy.

The medication is approved for use from the age of 1 year.

When is Tolperisone contraindicated?

It is necessary to refuse treatment with the drug during pregnancy and lactation. There is not enough information about the effect of the active substance on fetal formation. The systemic effect that it causes can affect the condition of both mother and child and cause irreversible disorders.

Other contraindications for use:

• myasthenia gravis;
• individual hypersensitivity to the components of the drug;

Signs of a possible allergic reaction to Tolperisone: bronchospasm, skin itching, urticaria, the appearance of red spots - erythema, anaphylactic shock, Quincke's edema.

Prevention

In order to prevent the occurrence or aggravation of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, it is recommended to carry out a number of preventive measures at regular intervals, including:

• rejection of bad habits;
• adherence to the principles of proper, balanced nutrition;
• tracking the safest and most comfortable position for the spine while walking, running, sitting;
• ensuring comfortable sleep in the correct body position;
• organization of exercises according to the recommended sets of exercises for the thoracic spine with osteochondrosis.

The comfort of a person’s daily life is largely determined by his health.

When the first symptoms of a spinal disease appear, seek advice from a specialist who will help diagnose the disease and select the correct course of treatment for osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine.

Side effects of the drug

During treatment with Tolperisone tablets, the following may appear:

• muscle weakness;
• dyspnea;
• increased fatigue;
• dizziness;
• drowsiness during the daytime;
• decreased blood pressure;
• pain in the stomach and abdominal cavity;
• nausea, vomiting.

In the absence of a serious threat to the physical condition, such symptoms do not require discontinuation of the drug.

What is thoracic osteochondrosis and features of its treatment

Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine occurs in less than 10% of the total number of cases diagnosed with this disease. This is due to low mobility of the thoracic spine. But this is the main insidiousness of thoracic osteochondrosis, since its symptoms are in many ways reminiscent of signs of diseases of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, patients often initially turn to a cardiologist or other specialist and undergo courses of treatment that do not bring results, but end up seeing a neurologist when the disease has already become advanced.

There are 12 vertebrae in the thoracic spine. Between them all there are intervertebral discs, but more often the first and last spinal motion segments of this department are affected by osteochondrosis.

In the future, the situation may be complicated by compression of the spinal roots, which exit in pairs at the level of each vertebra from the spinal cord and are responsible for regulating the functioning of the lungs, internal organs of the abdominal cavity, and the pelvis. As a result, there will be signs of disturbances in their functioning, as well as pain radiating to the ribs, which is called radicular syndrome.

In general, thoracic osteochondrosis can manifest itself:

• pain in the shoulder blades, which intensifies with deep inspiration;
• pain behind the sternum in the heart area;
• the occurrence of cough, shortness of breath due to the development of bronchitis, bronchial asthma, pneumonia and other diseases of the lungs and bronchi;
• pain in the right hypochondrium, resulting from disruption of the liver, gall bladder and its ducts, which may be due to the development of cholecystitis, metabolic disorders, etc.;
• pain in the left hypochondrium or shingles due to dysfunction of the pancreas, which leads to an increased risk of developing diabetes;
• decreased immunity, the occurrence of allergic reactions due to suppression of the innervation of the adrenal glands;
• urinary disorders due to malfunction of the kidneys and the addition of infectious diseases, in particular pyelonephritis;
• disorders of the female and male genital organs, including infertility.

In this case, severe pain provokes reflex tension in the back muscles, which causes unpleasant sensations in them and increases the risk of pinching the nerve structures.

The risk of changes in the functioning of internal organs increases sharply in the later stages of development of thoracic osteochondrosis, when protrusion of intervertebral discs is already observed, i.e. the formation of protrusions and intervertebral hernias. In such situations, the pathological protrusion will compress the nerve roots, which will provoke disturbances in the innervation of the corresponding internal organs and the development of their diseases.

Thus, although thoracic osteochondrosis is a fairly rare disease, it can affect the functioning of the entire body. Therefore, it requires immediate initiation of comprehensive treatment. To do this, you need to contact a neurologist who will assess the patient’s condition, study the available examination results and develop an individual treatment program. It will largely depend not only on the degree of thoracic osteochondrosis (there are 4 stages, of which the easiest is the 1st), but also on the nature of the manifestations of the diseases, the type of concomitant diseases present, age and a number of other factors. That is why, with the right approach, the treatment of patients with approximately the same degenerative changes in the discs can have significant differences.

Treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis is always complex. It is aimed at solving the following problems:

• elimination of unpleasant symptoms of the disease, which improves the patient’s quality of life and restores full functionality;
• improve the quality of blood circulation in the affected area, which activates metabolic processes and will facilitate regeneration processes in the disc;
• eliminating the causes of osteochondrosis;
• reducing the likelihood of complications of the disease.

For this, patients may be prescribed:

• lifestyle correction;
• drug therapy;
• exercise therapy;
• manual therapy;
• traction therapy;
• physiotherapeutic treatment.

Which specific methods will be recommended to the patient is determined by the attending physician, depending on the severity of degenerative changes in the spine. So, if thoracic osteochondrosis is diagnosed at the 1st stage of development, which, unfortunately, is quite rare, it is usually enough to limit yourself to making certain adjustments to your lifestyle, exercise therapy and manual therapy.

But if the disease has already progressed to the 2nd and especially the 3rd stage, additional drug therapy, traction therapy, etc. will definitely be recommended. Moreover, if osteochondrosis has already provoked the formation of intervertebral hernias, especially large ones, and is accompanied by severe radicular syndrome, which cannot be eliminated by conservative methods, improvement of the patient’s condition can only be achieved through surgery.

Thus, in case of thoracic osteochondrosis, as well as similar lesions of other parts of the spine, treatment is aimed at stopping the further progression of degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs and improving the patient’s well-being. With existing, especially large lesions, it is not yet possible to achieve complete restoration of cartilage tissue, not only of intervertebral discs, but also of any other joints. So, let's look at the main methods of treating thoracic osteochondrosis and their features.

Use of Tolperisone: instructions

The treatment regimen depends on the characteristics of the painful manifestations. General recommendations:

• 1 tablet with a dosage of 50 mg. 2–3 times a day for adults in the first days of therapy;
• 150 mg each. up to three times a day - if the drug is well tolerated in the subsequent period.

For children under 15 years of age, the dosage is selected taking into account body weight:

• 2–4 mg per 1 kg of weight: children from 1 to 6 years old;
• 5 mg per 1 kg. weight: from 7 to 14 years.

The time of eating does not affect the absorption of the drug.

An overdose of the drug is fraught with respiratory problems, cardiac depression, and vascular collapse. It is important to use it strictly as prescribed by the doctor, after carefully studying the instructions. After taking each dose, monitor changes in physical condition.

special instructions

The therapeutic effect of the drug is enhanced and prolonged when combined with peripheral muscle relaxants, Clonidine, psychoactive and anesthetic agents. Tolperisone reduces the speed of motor skills and mental reactions, affects concentration. During the treatment period, it is necessary to refrain from driving and working with complex mechanisms.

The combination of the drug with alcohol is unacceptable, as it leads to serious intoxication, a sharp decrease in vascular tone, and damage to the central nervous system.