Sick leave for osteochondrosis: is it given, how to apply for it, how many days, treatment regimen

The most pressing question among patients is whether sick leave is given for osteochondrosis? This disease is diagnosed in 80% of patients who come to the clinic with back pain. Previously, it was believed that only older people suffer from this disease, but over the past 20 years the disease has become significantly younger.

The most common type is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. But only if osteochondrosis is neurological in nature, you can get sick leave from a doctor.

Pinched nerve due to osteochondrosis

Neurological symptoms of osteochondrosis are pinched nerves or vessels, muscle spasms. This is aggravated by decreased sensitivity and mobility, as well as pain.

This came into practice when specialists realized that temporary disability was extremely necessary for people with this disease. The length of sick leave varies, depending on the symptoms and the degree of pathology. If you continue to engage in physical work during pain syndrome and carry out timely treatment, this can lead to serious complications, incl. and to disability.

Cervical osteochondrosis mainly affects those people who engage in heavy physical or sedentary work, especially when constantly tilting their head down. With this disease, nerves, cartilage, and vertebrae are destroyed.

An exacerbation of the disease occurs with the following risk factors:

hypothermia;
lifting heavy things;
spinal injuries;
age over 30 years;
other diseases of the spine;
hereditary predisposition.

Risk factors for osteochondrosis
Sometimes the disease worsens so much that it is difficult for a person not only to work, but even to perform ordinary household duties, so it is strongly recommended to go on sick leave and undergo proper treatment.

Let's take a closer look at the question of how to go on sick leave with osteochondrosis

What is osteochondrosis

Man has the unique ability to walk on two legs. Due to this, the spinal column experiences stress every day. If hypothermia and heavy physical work are added to this, then deformation of the bone tissue in the spine appears. The vertebrae are displaced relative to their location as a result of the destruction of the cartilage tissue between them, which affects the nerve endings, as well as the vertebral artery. As a result, blood begins to flow poorly to the brain, causing headaches, dizziness and other symptoms.

The cartilage tissue between the vertebrae protects them from deformation and allows you to evenly distribute the load on the spine and. Over time, the moisture evaporates from it, the distance between the vertebrae becomes smaller, and this leads to a pinched nerve. This is especially true for cervical osteochondrosis.

Cartilage tissue

Low physical activity, excess weight, and curvature of the spine are some of the main causes of osteochondrosis.

Complications from pathology

Cervical osteochondrosis is a dangerous, unfortunately common disease in which the spinal cord, nerve roots, and blood vessels are compressed. There is a disruption in the activity of the brain and vital processes located in it. If you do not seek help from specialists in time, you can cause serious harm to the body; advanced stages cause a number of complications.

Displacement of intervertebral discs leads to paralysis and often causes death. If one of the joints of the cervical spine changes its natural position, complications will have extremely serious consequences. Reducing the height of the discs due to degenerative changes in the spine leads to the fact that the nerves and blood vessels are further compressed. Such processes are fraught with disastrous consequences.

The appearance of osteophytes (bone growths). This complication occurs in 80% of patients. Growths form on the outside and inside the vertebra, causing irritation of muscle and nerve tissue. There is excessive stress on the vertebrae of the cervical spine, swelling and spasms.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine leads to negative consequences that affect the condition of blood vessels and changes in the brain. If you do not consult a doctor who will issue a sick leave and prescribe treatment, complications will soon affect the entire spine, which can lead to paralysis of the limbs and disruption of the functioning of all vital organs and systems.

Symptoms of osteochondrosis

The main symptoms of osteochondrosis are as follows:

Pain when bending or moving the neck and spine. These are the initial signs of the disease and already at this stage you should make an appointment with a doctor.
The muscles begin to tire quickly, sensitivity decreases, and salt deposits appear on the neck.
The amplitude of turning the head decreases due to a pinched nerve or muscle spasm in the neck, and pain appears.
When turning sharply in the shoulder or neck area, a crunching sound is heard in the joints, as if it brings relief and pain relief.

Symptoms of osteochondrosis
Constrictive headache.
Dizziness.
Darkening in the eyes.
High blood pressure.
Trembling and cold hands,
"Crawling" sensation in the fingers.
Pain in the thoracic region in the region of the heart, in the absence of cardiovascular diseases. There is a tingling sensation in the heart, but this is only pain that radiates from the neck and shoulders.

What does cervical osteochondrosis look like?
Read also: Chondromalacia in children and adolescents involved in sports: a note for parents.
Noise in ears.
Heaviness in the head.
Decreased performance.
Memory problems.
Deterioration of vision.

If several signs appear, it is important to make an appointment with a doctor to establish an accurate diagnosis, since this is most likely cervical osteochondrosis.

It is important to prevent further development of the disease, because this can lead to the appearance of an intervertebral disc herniation or arthritis. Arthritis can develop with cervical osteochondrosis and pain in the fingers. This may lead to disability.

What should I do to make the pain go away?

First of all, consult a doctor. For progressive pain syndrome, the doctor prescribes medications that quickly relieve pain. During exacerbations, when mobility is limited and accompanied by severe pain, the doctor will prescribe a drug blockade - drugs that relieve spasms are injected directly into the muscles.

During the recovery period, chondroprotectors are used to restore damaged cartilage tissue. It is impossible to completely restore damaged cartilage; this makes osteochondrosis dangerous.

The group's drugs prevent further destruction of tissue between the vertebrae. The substances contained in the preparations retain moisture in the tissues, nourish, and increase the regeneration processes.

In the future, when the attack of pain passes, you go through a recovery period, a set of exercises, medications prescribed by a doctor, it is useful to lead an active lifestyle. It is useful to use a horizontal bar for cervical osteochondrosis. To prevent the disease, it is enough to periodically hang on it.

The main thing when performing exercises is caution. Often patients decide to start a serious fight, go to the gym, and perform complex sets of exercises

How to apply for sick leave

To apply for sick leave for osteochondrosis, you must complete the following steps:

Go to an appointment with a therapist or neurologist. A referral for sick leave is issued by this specialist;
The doctor must establish an accurate diagnosis by assessing the patient's complaints. Also, the neurologist must take into account the patient’s working conditions;
The doctor prescribes a course of treatment for you at home or in a hospital. In this case, sick leave certificates will differ from each other;
start recommended treatment.

Be sure to read: TOP 25 exercises for osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine according to Bubnovsky: photo + video of gymnastics for the lower back

sick leave for osteochondrosis

If you are advised to stay in bed, do not ignore it. Otherwise, the disease can lead to complex complications.

Excellent article on the topic: 6 best methods for diagnosing cervical osteochondrosis

Document on incapacity for work from the hospital

When deciding that therapy at home and procedures performed in the clinic are insufficient, the neurologist sends the patient to hospital, where he is given a new certificate of incapacity for work.

Advantages of visiting a hospital to treat a patient with osteochondrosis:

Hospital therapy is more effective than home therapy.
The hospital will provide the necessary assistance through intravenous injections and physiotherapeutic procedures.
When the pain is relieved and the patient is discharged from the hospital, he is advised to rest a little more. In this case, a new certificate of incapacity for work is opened by the attending neurologist.

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Under what conditions is sick leave issued for osteochondrosis?

A patient may be sent on sick leave for several days under the following conditions:

sharp exacerbation of osteochondrosis;
working conditions increase symptoms;
significant limitation of mobility in the neck;
pinched nerve in the spine;

What does a pinched nerve in the spine look like?
severe pain when turning the head, as well as in a calm state;
examination in a clinic;
the disease has entered an acute phase, and it is difficult for the patient to move independently;
treatment in a hospital or sanatorium.

The exact number of sick days cannot be known in advance. Osteochondrosis is a disease that will have to be treated throughout your life.

The sick leave is intended for the patient to reduce the load on the spine. Even doing household chores is prohibited. You should lie in bed more and provide rest to the patient.

Be sure to read this good article:

Pinched nerve in the back: 12 symptoms, 15 treatment methods (massage, medications, folk remedies)

Reviews

Svetlana Petrovna, 48 years old, Rostov-on-Don “I want to share my experience of how I got rid of cervical osteochondrosis. A few years ago I couldn’t turn my neck, that’s how much it hurt. I spent a month on sick leave every six months. Today I don’t even take medicine. Firstly, I got hooked on chondroprotectors, I take them twice a year for a month and a half. Every day, while still lying in bed, I do gymnastics, then exercises with head turns while sitting on the bed. Using a computer for no more than an hour a day is a taboo. Swimming pool twice a week. Every weekend I cook jellied meat. In a word, I took care of myself, and it turned out that the disease has subsided and I feel great! Not a single sick leave in three years.”

Igor, 34 years old, Moscow “Cervical osteochondrosis is my main soreness. I work in an office and stare at the computer all day. What to do? I’m trying to do a massage, using the Kuznetsov applicator, but my neck hurts like crazy. I’ll probably have to change something, leave work, because twice every six months I’m on sick leave, and my bosses aren’t happy. Tell me, is there a good cure for this damned disease?”

How many days is sick leave given for osteochondrosis?

7 days. This is the average. The duration of sick leave for osteochondrosis directly depends on the following factors:

manifestations of pain: its strength and duration. If the pain goes away quickly during treatment, then the period of sick leave will be normal, and if the treatment is long, the certificate of incapacity for work will be extended;
working conditions and profession of the patient. If the profession is associated with high physical activity, then the duration of rest will be increased;
method and method of treating osteochondrosis.

Let's consider the approximate timing for osteochondrosis and other degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the spine.

Mild degree of osteochondrosis, in which mobility is limited or the patient goes to the hospital for the first time - a sick leave certificate is issued for 3 to 7 days. At the same time, returning to work should not worsen the patient’s condition.
Acute degree of the disease, if the chest is affected - 3 weeks.
Severe degree of osteochondrosis, in which bone tissue is deformed (radicular syndrome) - sick leave is issued for up to 90 days.
A complication of osteochondrosis - periarthritis - treatment lasts up to 6-7 months, sick leave is issued for the same period.

What does periarthritis look like?
When undergoing a course of treatment in a hospital, the sick leave is valid from the moment of admission, regardless of the duration of stay. If the patient is already on sick leave, it will be closed and a new one will be opened upon admission to the hospital.
When prescribing surgical treatment, the sick leave includes the entire period of preparation for the operation and rehabilitation after it. After the operation, you need to go to a neurologist, and he will open a new certificate of incapacity for work.
If there is no positive effect from treatment within 6 months, the patient may be declared incapacitated and assigned a disability group. But this happens relatively rarely.
If treatment is carried out at home while undergoing physiotherapy in a clinic, then sick leave increases by 30%.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region - sick leave is issued for at least 7 days. For chronic pain, it can be extended to 30 days.

Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region

As a rule, regardless of the severity of osteochondrosis, a certificate of incapacity for work is issued for no less than 7 days.

If it is necessary to increase the duration of sick leave beyond the standard terms, then a special commission is convened to determine the need for this action. In most cases, this happens if treatment does not bring positive results or after surgery.

It is important to know! The activities of clinics are under the control of insurance companies. If there are violations of the terms of sick leave, the clinic will be fined and an inspection of this institution will begin

Since osteochondrosis is a disease that cannot be completely cured, exacerbations may occur periodically. They can lead to various complications. In this case, severe pain and inflammation appear that cannot be treated.

Complications of osteochondrosis can lead to complete loss of ability to work, up to the inability to take care of yourself in everyday life. In this case, disability is assigned.

Do they provide a certificate of incapacity for work?

The main reason for opening a sick leave certificate for a working patient is radicular or muscle (myofascial) pain. It can be acute or chronic and intensifies during exacerbation.

Such painful manifestations are characteristic of manual workers, persons whose activities are associated with incorrect anatomical and physiological position of the body during the working day (stooping work, lifting weights).

Is sick leave given for osteochondrosis? Yes, if the patient:

I am registered with a neurologist for this disease, and at the moment it has worsened. Therapy in this case involves a course of painkillers;
I experienced acute pain for the first time. The doctor will prescribe an x-ray examination of the affected area and all necessary laboratory tests;
home therapy did not bring positive changes - the pain does not go away and remains severe. In such a situation, the doctor may recommend continuing the examination in a hospital, where a sick leave certificate will be issued. Its discovery dates back to the moment the patient entered the hospital.

Symptoms characteristic of osteochondrosis help the doctor assess the patient’s condition and his ability to work:

reflex-tonic syndrome . The main sign of the disorder is severe deformation of the spine (stooping, displacement of the vertebrae, increased thoracic kyphosis). In most cases it appears on one side of the body. In patients, stooping and gait disturbance can be visually observed;
visceral pain syndrome . The cause of pain is a malfunction of one or another internal organ caused by a disruption of the innervation of the affected spinal motor segment of the spinal cord (a segment is the bodies of 2 adjacent vertebrae and everything that is between them). Symptoms: cardialgia, intercostal neuralgia, etc.;
vascular syndromes . With prolonged muscle spasm, compression of the blood vessels occurs, which impairs blood circulation in the upper and lower extremities. The patient may be bothered by numbness of the arms and legs, changes in the sensitivity of the skin;
tension syndrome . In this case, pain appears when bending and turning the body, flexing and extending the affected limbs.

The results of the physical examination and visual examination of the patient must be assessed in conjunction with the results of radiological data. If necessary, additional diagnostics may be prescribed: MRI, electromyography, computed tomography, etc.

Other factors that the doctor must take into account when issuing sick leave and determining its duration include:

the ability for patients to move independently and take care of themselves fully . Some patients suffer from severe pain during an exacerbation and require outside help. The certificate of incapacity for work is extended for them until the acute symptoms disappear completely and motor skills are restored;
existing complications or concomitant diseases . It happens that in-depth diagnostics aimed at identifying degenerative processes reveal concomitant pathologies that are complications of osteochondrosis. For example, kyphosis and radiculitis, spondylosis, spinal hernia and intervertebral disc protrusion. If these diseases require correction and may affect the dynamics of the main therapy, sick leave is extended in accordance with the diagnosis code according to the ICD;
working conditions . If the patient’s professional activity is associated with physical strain, even moderate pain will be grounds for issuing a certificate of incapacity for work. In some cases, after the end of the sick leave, the employee cannot return to his main duties, since he has been recommended to have a lighter workload due to limited ability to work.

Back pain is one of the most common complaints when visiting a neurologist. Almost 70% of the total number of temporary disability certificates issued are for patients with various manifestations of osteochondrosis.

How long does it take to be treated in hospital?

In severe forms of osteochondrosis, the patient may be referred to the neurological department of an inpatient clinic. In most cases, they are sent there for physiotherapeutic or intravenous procedures . Droppers are placed to directly impact the source of pain.

Be sure to read: Osteochondrosis with radicular syndrome: 12 treatment methods, 20 symptoms, what it is

Upon admission to the hospital, a new sick leave sheet is opened. Chronic symptoms of osteochondrosis completely disappear within 1 month of effective treatment. But the exact period of stay is determined by the attending physician.

When the pain is eliminated, the patient can be discharged home and sick leave extended to continue treatment, for example, a massage course.

If a positive result is not achieved within 4 months, the patient’s condition is considered as permanent disability. He may be sent to a commission to establish a disability group.

When movement is limited

Very often, young people who experience the first minor pain in the lumbar or cervical region or stiffness of movement are in no hurry to go to the clinic. But even at a young age, a disease such as osteochondrosis, in order to avoid serious consequences, requires immediate treatment. If temporary disability occurs, sick leave can be issued to you for a period of 7 to 30 days, depending on the type of treatment prescribed.

But even a week in which to follow all the recommendations, visit exercise therapy, a massage room and, if necessary, a chiropractor and physiotherapeutic procedures, can stop the spread of the disease and create the necessary foundation on which you can work and be treated in the future. Therefore, if the doctor recommends that you open the sheet and go through all the necessary procedures, you must listen to his advice.

Do I need to go on sick leave if I have osteochondrosis?

It is possible to completely eliminate the symptoms of osteochondrosis if you follow all the doctor’s recommendations. If a patient is sent on sick leave with osteochondrosis, then the problem is serious and every effort must be made to treat the disease.

Regardless of the duration of treatment, if there is no positive effect, you have the right to extend your sick leave. As a rule, with moderate disease, with proper treatment, pain syndromes disappear within 2-3 weeks. After recovery, it is strongly recommended to engage in disease prevention throughout your life.

In what cases do they not give a bulletin with osteochondrosis?

If a patient refuses to be hospitalized or to carry out therapeutic measures prescribed by a doctor, a certificate of temporary incapacity for work is not issued to him. This is also true if the patient does not want to be examined to justify issuing a sick leave. Other grounds for refusal:

absence of clinical manifestations that could indicate a person’s inability to perform professional duties;
applying for sick leave during remission, when most symptoms are absent;
presence at examination or diagnostic procedures under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The bulletin may be terminated if the treatment regimen is not followed, medical recommendations are not followed, or periodic medical examinations are refused.

Approximate treatment regimen for osteochondrosis

When receiving sick leave, you must strictly follow the treatment specified in the prescription. It should include the following types of drug treatment for osteochondrosis: painkillers, NSAIDs, therapeutic blockades, ointments. Blockade injections can quickly and permanently relieve constant and severe pain. Provide the patient with complete rest.

Blockade injections for osteochondrosis
To restore damaged cartilage tissue, chondroprotectors may be prescribed. The drugs can also improve posture. But the cartilage tissue will not be able to recover completely due to the nature of the disease.
Next, you need to perform a set of therapeutic exercises - exercise therapy, which is determined individually for each patient. Excellent article in continuation: Top 22 effective sets of exercises for cervical osteochondrosis
Physiotherapeutic procedures and traditional methods of treatment can be added to traditional methods of therapy. A course of massage for osteochondrosis must be carried out at least 2 times a year. There are also alternative treatment methods, such as hirudotherapy, acupuncture, manual therapy, which can give good results. A course of manual therapy is possible only after permission from a neurologist.

Acupuncture for osteochondrosis
Adhere to a new lifestyle and preventive measures to prevent relapse. For example, regular use of the Kuznetsov mat and Almag physiotherapy apparatus.

Unfortunately, most employers believe that osteochondrosis is not a reason for sick leave. This is fundamentally wrong, because various lifelong complications are possible.

Article on the topic: 8 best types of drug treatment for cervical osteochondrosis

Problems and their occurrence

Our vertebrae, cartilage, and ligaments are constantly under stress. This is especially true for people whose work involves carrying or lifting heavy objects. This also includes workers who are constantly sitting at the computer, the so-called “office plankton”. Incorrect posture, scoliosis, destruction of intervertebral discs caused by lack of mobility, all this is the beginning of the development of osteochondrosis, which sooner or later leads to painful symptoms and limited movement.

In order not to bring the disease to the breaking point, it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner. There are many ways to relieve pain. During exacerbations during limited mobility, a blockade is usually done using medications. They relieve spasms and are injected directly into muscle tissue.

Chondroprotectors are widely used during the recovery period and as a preventative measure. They successfully restore cartilage, but the recovery period is quite long, from six months to a year.

For osteochondrosis, it is recommended to eat foods containing gelatin, do special exercises, decompress the spine as much as possible during the period of incapacity, use acupuncture, and manual recovery methods.

In general, an active lifestyle, of course, without fanaticism, is the best remedy for all diseases associated with the musculoskeletal system.

Can a neurologist refuse to issue a sick leave certificate?

A neurologist may refuse to issue a sick leave certificate in the following cases:

if the symptoms of osteochondrosis do not interfere with normal performance;
with initial signs of osteochondrosis, but in the absence of severe and constant pain. In this case, you should definitely visit a doctor to get the recommended treatment regimen. But a neurologist can issue a sick leave for several days to undergo the necessary examination and diagnosis.

Treatment of osteochondrosis must be carried out, regardless of whether the doctor has sent you on sick leave or not.

If the pain is severe, do not take painkillers to numb the pain and go to work. Don't self-medicate! If the pain does not subside, go to the doctor. You are guaranteed to be sent on sick leave to fully examine your body.

Lumbago and lumboischialgia

Lumbago - at the moment of physical stress, a sharp pain occurs; it can appear with awkward movement and persist for a long time. The pain is shooting, bursting, burning. A person freezes in an uncomfortable position, cannot straighten up, and when trying to cough or sneeze, the discomfort only intensifies. If you ask the patient to rise, sudden immobility of the lumbar region is revealed.

With lumboischialgia, the patient cannot be discharged from sick leave earlier than after 3 weeks. This may lead to an increase in exacerbations, which will only worsen the situation.

Lumboischialgia – this pain syndrome occurs in the buttocks and legs, not reaching the toes. Discomfort becomes unbearable with prolonged sitting, walking, sneezing or trying to cough.

Contraindicated types and working conditions for osteochondrosis

The following types of work are absolutely contraindicated in case of neurological complications of osteochondrosis:

Constant uncomfortable position of the body, head and limbs, leading to increased pain. For example, office work, especially when constantly tilting your head down.
Vibration effect on the body. These are professions such as driller, miner, tractor driver.
High physical tension of the body.
Cold workplace, drafts.
Effects on the body of neurotropic toxic substances.

Be sure to read: TOP 20 ointments for chondrosis of the neck, back, shoulders and lower back: list of painkiller names, prices

Recommendations from experts

Osteochondrosis of the thoracic, cervical or lumbar region is a terrible disease, the complications of which can lead to disability; if the doctor decides to give a referral for a sick leave, you need to listen. It is impossible to compensate for a disability group for any amount of money. The degree of a person’s disability depends on the stage of development of the disease, but there is no arguing that the disease interferes with living and moving fully. It is impossible to keep an employee in such a state and not allow him to see a doctor.

However, osteochondrosis can be cured if you consult a specialist in time and follow all the recommendations of your treating doctors. Being on sick leave does not mean that you should rest at home; on the contrary, you should fully take care of your health and fight the pathological process.

Do not be lazy! Join social networks!

Osteochondrosis is a common disease that mainly affects people with sedentary jobs aged 30-40 years. This pathological condition, during which degeneration of the bone, cartilage and muscle tissue of the spine occurs, is manifested by severe pain and limitation of movement. All this negatively affects the patient’s performance. For osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, do they give sick leave or not? This question often arises among people faced with this problem.

How to correctly simulate osteochondrosis for sick leave

Many people are interested in whether, in the absence of a disease, it is possible to simulate its symptoms (especially for cervical osteochondrosis) in order to get the desired sick leave. Doctors say that it is easier to fake the symptoms of a cold or pancreatitis than osteochondrosis, but, nevertheless, we will describe all the ways to simulate this disease.

Still from the film

When you enter the neurologist’s office, hold your lower back and wince in pain. When you sit on a chair, pretend that you are sitting on a stake. Your head should be tilted - your neck hurts very much. Symptoms that you need to tell your doctor about: pulling in the lumbar region, acute pain radiating to the side, this appeared after any physical work, for example, washing floors. The doctor may tap you with his fist on the back under the ribs. You should say: “It hurts when you knock.” Ideally, call a doctor at home. In this case, they won’t send you for an x-ray right away, and they’ll definitely give you sick leave, because the pain is so bad that you don’t have the strength to get to the hospital.
Tell the neurologist the following phrase: “When I bend, there is no pain, but straightening up is very painful in the lower back.” And show him this. If they don’t send you for an x-ray, they will give you sick leave. But even if you are sent for an x-ray and it is fine, you can tell the doctor that you have a pinched nerve. This cannot be seen on an x-ray.
Complain to the doctor about very severe pain in the tailbone, making it impossible to sit down and walk. This happens after the flu or bronchitis, a complication. They may not send you for an x-ray, but they will give you sick leave.
Simulation of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis. What you should tell the doctor: “I can’t turn my head to the right or left (you choose), there is a feeling of an electric shock to the brain, constant pain in the head, pain in the chest for a whole week (this excludes heart disease). This happened in the morning, after sleep, it was very difficult to get out of bed. I wrapped a woolen scarf around my neck and it seemed to feel better. Over time it gets a little better, but it’s just as difficult to turn your neck.”
X-ray forgery.
Bribe a doctor.
Call a doctor at home. When the doctor comes, you have to lie on Kuznetsov’s applicator, groaning. In front of the doctor, the head should be tilted to the side, as if there is a pinch in the neck and it is difficult to turn it. If the doctor begins to feel you, you should moan in pain. I must say that you can’t even dress yourself. They will give you sick leave and prescribe Diclofenac and Finalgon. Tests and x-rays may not be requested.

Remember - if you cannot correctly simulate osteochondrosis, then there will be no other chance.

The most important rule is if there is pain, go to the doctor, because the spine is not to be trifled with. Is sick leave given for osteochondrosis? Yes! If the doctor confirms that there is osteochondrosis, he will send you to sick leave for at least 7 days.

Duration of sick leave

Osteochondrosis is a fairly common disease; it is diagnosed in 8 out of 10 cases after an X-ray examination. For this reason, changes in bone structure and problems with intervertebral discs themselves are not a reason to rest. The issuance of a sick leave certificate by a neurologist to a patient suffering from osteochondrosis is carried out only when an exacerbation of the disease begins, and it is accompanied by severe unbearable pain.

In the case where the patient was previously seen by a neurologist with a similar illness, and at the moment there is no doubt that an exacerbation has occurred, the doctor sends the person to sick leave. The doctor prescribes maintenance pain therapy.

When you first had to deal with the occurrence of acute pain, the doctor also advises you to take a break from work, but you will have to stay in the clinic for some time to conduct an X-ray examination of the pathological area and take the tests required to diagnose the disease.

If severe pain cannot be relieved with standard home treatment medications, the doctor may decide to hospitalize the patient. In such a situation, sick leave for osteochondrosis will be issued in the hospital, and it will be opened on the day of admission to the department.

A patient who has had this pathology for several years does not ask the question whether sick leave is issued to people with osteochondrosis - it is given and even in an urgent form, since it is better to start treating the disease in the early stages, and not to fight in the future with an advanced disease .

If pain occurs, it is recommended to take a break from work for a certain time rather than try to get rid of irreversible complications in the future.

The duration of sick leave during osteochondrosis is determined by a combination of symptoms:

the strength and duration of pain that hinders movement (in the case where the pain is soon relieved as a result of therapy, the sick leave will last a standard number of days, if the treatment is long, the sick leave may be extended);
the patient’s occupation (when the patient is engaged in heavy physical labor, in order to avoid secondary manifestations of the disease, he is advised to rest for a long time);
specialist treatment plan and standards for the treatment of the diagnosed disease. With rapid pain relief, the patient should spend a standard number of days on sick leave. Otherwise, the clinic and the doctor may be fined by the insurance company.

Duration of sick leave depending on the type of disease:

The duration of sick leave for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical region is 3-7 days, provided that the patient has been diagnosed with a mild form of the disease. If the disease is severe, the doctor may issue a certificate of incapacity for work for 21 days. If osteochondrosis is complicated by periarthritis, therapy and sick leave can last up to 7 months.
In case of thoracic osteochondrosis in the acute stage, the neuropathologist can extend sick leave to 18 days.
The duration of therapy for lumbar osteochondrosis is at least 7 days. If pain is not relieved for a long time, the patient is sent to hospitalization for serious treatment and a decision on surgical intervention. When transferring a patient for treatment in a hospital department, the clinic doctor closes the certificate of incapacity for work, and a new one is opened by hospital staff.

The duration of the certificate of incapacity for work during treatment of any illness is strictly controlled by the insurance company. If the standard duration of therapy is violated (both reduced in case of a quick cure, and increased despite accepted norms), employees of the insurance company conduct an inspection of the medical institution.