One of the most common pathological conditions is sciatica. Many have encountered this ailment personally, when a sudden pain shoots the lower back or neck so that the patient cannot move painlessly.
It has been reliably established that this condition occurs mainly as a result of osteochondrosis processes in the spine.
Sometimes the cause of radiculitis is an intervertebral hernia, trauma, deformation or age-related wear of the spine and discs. Also, sedentary people engaged in sedentary activities are susceptible to disease.
Symptoms of the disease
For sciatica, various manifestations are characteristic, the disease is not limited only to pain symptoms. On the contrary, the pain that has arisen means that the pathological processes have just begun to gain momentum, the pathology has not yet been started and it can still be cured. In the chronic form of radiculopathy , the dying off of the nerve occurs and the pain syndrome fades away.
For radiculopathy is characterized by various types of pain syndromes:
- Sciatica – like – an acute attack of pain that originates in the gluteal muscles and radiates to the lower extremities, up to the toes. This symptom is characteristic of lesions of the sciatic nerve;
- By the type of lumbago – shooting pain syndrome in the lumbar zone;
- By the type of lumboischialgia – a mixed pain symptom, characterized by moderate intensity, similarly to lumbago, it originates in the lumbar zone, and spreads to the limbs like sciatica, but does not [/ alert ] affect the toes.
Outwardly, sciatica is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Muscle paresis and weakness, extinction of tendon reflexes;
- Paresthesia symptoms such as chills, numbness, tingling, or impaired sensitivity;
- Physiological disorders such as incontinence, uncontrolled bowel movements, etc.
Similar symptoms are localized depending on the affected area: in the lower back, neck or thoracic region.
Treatment of manifestations of radiculopathy with injections
Painful attacks of sciatica are not always possible to endure, and this is not necessary, since constant pain causes an instinctive protective muscle blockage, which leads to muscle hyper-irritability syndrome and causes vegetative pain.
In order to avoid such complications, the patient is shown the introduction of injections for radiculopathy .
Injectables are administered in several ways:
- Epidurally or spinal;
- Intra-articular ;
- Intravenously or intramuscularly.
The way in which the injection will be administered is determined depending on the causative factor that caused the pathological processes.
Injection action
In general, the action of anti- radiculitis injections is aimed at pain relief, protection from further development of pathological processes and restoration of affected tissues.
Since several different drugs are prescribed with different mechanisms of action, then the action is complex.
Anti -inflammatory and analgesic drugs, vitamins and muscle relaxants, glucocorticoids, etc. are the basis of anti- radiculitis therapy.
Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory injections for sciatica
Each injection has a different effect on the affected area, therefore, injections are prescribed only by a doctor and in accordance with the cause of sciatica. Let us consider in more detail the main groups of injectable drugs usually prescribed for radiculopathy .
Non-steroidal drugs
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory injections are highly effective anti-inflammatory drugs that save patients with sciatica from muscle spasms and pain, which has an antipyretic effect.
Their action is associated with the blocking of substances provoking inflammatory processes, which are called prostaglandins. Thanks to this action, the inflammatory focus is quickly eliminated. As a result, treatment takes less time.
Among the drugs in this group, the most often prescribed:
- Movalis ;
- Diclofenac injections;
- Ketonal ;
- Nurofen ;
- Indomethacin, etc.
Medicines like Diclofenac or Movalis are contraindicated in blood flow disorders and gastrointestinal pathologies, during pregnancy and in childhood. Therefore, protectors are prescribed together with injections.
Practice shows that after the first injections, the patient feels the positive effect of the drugs.
Less commonly, doctors resort to injections like Nurofen or Ketonal . These injections are distinguished by fewer contraindications and side reactions.
Injectable drugs like Nimesil or Movalis are the newest drugs, therefore they are characterized as the most “harmless” and do not cause unwanted reactions.
If radiculopathy is of rheumatic origin, then Ketonal or Diclofenac injections are indicated .
If the clinical case is due to conditions that cause a very severe pain syndrome (hernial process or traumatic injuries), then injections of Indomethacin or Ibuprofen are indicated.
Novocaine blockade
Doctors resort to the appointment of such injections in the presence of acute and unbearable pain symptoms. Such a procedure is performed by slowly introducing Novocaine in its low concentration.
Injections are injected into the nerves, articular and muscle tissues located in the innervation zone of the root that has undergone inflammation. In this case, damage to the affected root itself should not be allowed.
The undoubted advantage of novocaine blockades is their effectiveness in eliminating local pain syndrome, exceeding the effect of narcotic drugs. Another positive quality of novocaine blockades is the minimum range of contraindications.
Muscle relaxants
Often, with lesions of radiculitis origin, muscle relaxant drugs are prescribed , which are aimed at anesthesia and relaxation of muscle muscles in order to relieve spasm and eliminate pain symptoms.
The maximum effectiveness of injections of muscle relaxant action is achieved with complex therapy with NSAIDs. Muscle relaxants are classified as narcotic drugs, since these medicines can be addictive and addictive.
The most famous and highly effective means of this group are injections:
- injections of Mydocalm ;
- Cyclobenzaprine ;
- Metocarbonyl , etc.
The most “harmless” and causing a minimum of undesirable consequences drug from this group is Mydocalm , but its effectiveness is not as high as that of Metocarbonyl or Cyclobenzaprine .
Glucocorticoids
Drugs from the glucocorticoid family are distinguished by their high anti-inflammatory efficacy, which accelerate the microcirculatory blood supply in the affected areas, which contributes to the rapid elimination of inflammatory processes.
With radiculopathy, treatment with glucocorticoid hormones is carried out by a single administration in order to quickly eliminate the pain syndrome, after which treatment with other drugs (NSAIDs, vitamins, muscle relaxants) is started. These drugs are used instead of opiates.
Among such funds, the following are more often prescribed:
- Hydrocortisone;
- Prednisolone;
- Kenalog .
Experts recommend injecting such injections locally , directly into the area of inflammation, then the therapeutic effect will come quickly and there will be an almost instantaneous effect directly on the cause of the pain syndrome. Therefore, steroid hormones are injected into the joint tissue or spinal. Sometimes glucocorticoid drugs are included in the solution for novocaine blockade.
B vitamins
Vitamin preparations of this group are extremely important for the full functioning of all body systems, especially nervous system cells. For this purpose, patients are prescribed vitamin B₁₂ preparations.
They regulate nervous system activity and ensure the normal development of cellular structures. Each vitamin from group B affects the nervous system activity in its own way :
- Vitamin B₁ (thiamine), B₃ (PP or nicotinic acid), B₆ ( pyrodixin ) – is responsible for normal nervous system activity;
- Vitamin B₄ (or choline) – protects the nervous system from disorders;
- Vitamin B₁₂ ( cyanocobalamin ) – strengthens the nerve cell membranes;
- Vitamin B₅ (pantothenic acid) – takes part in the synthesis of nervous system lipids.
Medicines protectors for protection
As mentioned above, as protection against the side effects of NSAIDs and drugs with analgesic effect, patients are prescribed protective agents, the action of which is aimed at protecting the intestines and stomach.
Among the most effective means of such a group, experts especially highlight:
- Pantoprozole ;
- Omeprazole , etc.
In addition to these funds, the following are prescribed:
- Angioprotectors – Pentoxifylline, Curantil , Trental , Venorutinol , etc. These funds improve blood flow, reducing its clotting;
- Hepatoprotectors – Liv 52 Geptral , Karsil , Essentiale forte, etc. The action of these agents is directed to the protection of the liver from drug intoxication.
- Antihistamines are drugs that prevent the development of drug allergies.
Additional restorative injections
Often, the main treatment is supplemented with drugs that help eliminate the root cause of the pathology.
If radiculopathy is of viral origin, then antiviral agents are used. With the discogenic form of radiculitis, medications are prescribed, the action of which is aimed at bone regeneration, chondroprotectors like Artrodar or Alflutol . Additional recovery is also provided by injections of vitamin complexes such as Milgamma , Neurorubin or Neuromultivitis .
The main principle of anti- radiculitis therapy is a complex effect and professionally prescribed treatment. Therefore, you do not need to independently prescribe injections for sciatica, having obtained information from the Internet, a doctor should recommend them based on your picture of the disease. Be healthy!