A huge number of people in the modern world suffer from a disease such as osteochondrosis, that is, degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs. Moreover, the largest percentage of the occurrence of this disease occurs in the cervical spine. The causes of this condition may be heredity, injuries of various etiologies, weakened state of the back muscle tissue, curvature of the spinal column, a sedentary lifestyle, accumulation of salts in the vertebrae or lack of consumed vitamins.
The basis for the development of osteochondrosis are factors that contribute to the uneven distribution of the load on the spine, which leads to dysfunction of the intervertebral discs and subsequently to their degeneration. Such provoking factors may be regularly carrying heavy objects on one shoulder, incorrect sitting posture, sleeping on an excessively high pillow, or improperly selected shoes. In addition, obvious provocateurs of osteochondrosis are a person’s inactive life, excess weight, back and leg injuries, and impaired blood circulation in older people.
Pepper patch for cervical osteochondrosis
You can eliminate unpleasant symptoms and stop the development of osteochondrosis using various methods, one of them is pepper plaster. Let's look at how the pepper patch can help with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and who can use it.
Treatment with pepper patch
Osteochondrosis that has developed in the neck leads to pain in the spine. The root cause lies in the fact that many everyday activities in a person’s life are carried out “stationarily” - people spend most of their time at the computer, sitting in offices, or driving a car in hours-long city traffic jams. Often, cervical osteochondrosis can lead to more serious disorders of the nervous system, immunity, or problems with internal organs. Therefore, it is extremely important to start timely therapy in order to avoid the above consequences.
Osteochondrosis develops most often due to an inactive lifestyle
An integrated approach is considered an important task in the treatment of dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs of the cervical area. In addition to drug treatment using a pepper patch, a person also needs to attend massage treatments, eat right and take medications prescribed by a doctor. Otherwise, the positive performance from using the patch will have a short-term effect in the form of warming and anesthesia of the cervical spine. The main thing is that the pepper-based patch, as one of the points of therapy, is prescribed by a medical professional - you should not self-medicate.
How to use
If you are overtaken by cervical osteochondrosis and you decide to try to relieve the symptoms with a pepper patch, pay attention to the following rules for its use:
- The skin must first be wiped with alcohol or something containing alcohol. Fat-free skin will better perceive the effect of a warming agent;
- Remove the protective shell from the patch, glue it exactly to the area where osteochondrosis is localized;
- Always perform an intolerance test before first use;
- Do not use on wounds or moles;
- It is unacceptable to use the patch to treat children - they have very delicate skin;
- Likewise, the product should not be used if the skin of an adult is overly sensitive.
To remove the product painlessly, use our recommendations:
- Do not tear off the drug abruptly, act smoothly;
- Before removing the patch, you need to soften the adhesive solution. To do this, you can lie in a hot bath, or apply a piece of wet cloth for 10 minutes;
- When the pepper has already been removed, soothe the skin - lubricate it with olive oil or a natural soothing cream.
Doctors recommend sticking the patch in two versions. A simpler, but less effective method is to glue the osteochondrosis patch in its entirety onto the deformed part, without touching the spine itself, and keep it on for 48 hours. After this, remove the patch. If you need to continue treatment, allow your skin to rest for about 12 hours. Then attach the new drug.
The second method is more complicated, but works better. We wear the medicine for a week. But we do not use a whole sheet, but small pieces of it, glued to the neck in the area between the cervical vertebrae. In such a situation, you need to change the sticker every two days, as it tends to lose its healing power. Do not stick the patch on the spine itself, but find the pain points on the side of the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine. This method is also effective for lumbar osteochondrosis.
Pharmacological properties of pepper patch
Pepper plaster is most often found in pharmacies in the shape of a rectangle with dimensions of 10x18 centimeters, but there are other types. For more precise application, it can be cut into smaller pieces.
Although the patch is produced by many pharmacological companies, the main composition of the medication has not been changed: red pepper for warmth and belladonna extract for pain relief. The coating of the patch is ordinary paper, resistant to moisture, which must first be separated from the medicinal product.
The base of the pepper patch itself consists of cotton fabric, which is treated with natural ingredients and, accordingly, two main medicinal substances. The names of these medicinal substances: capsicum extract, which has an irritating effect, belladonna extract, which is a natural analgesic. In addition to these medicinal components, the pepper plaster may additionally include the following components:
- lanolin – does not allow the base of the patch to harden;
- Vaseline – distributes the medicinal base uniformly throughout the patch;
- pine rosin and natural rubber are intended for better adhesion;
- other natural ingredients.
The composition of the medicinal substance applied to the patch includes special components that help soothe pain in the neck area
The medicinal effect of patch applications is achieved by combining the pepper component and belladonna. With the help of pepper, skin cells are irritated, and at this time there is an increase in blood flow to the sore spot and an increase in metabolism. This process increases the regeneration of muscle and bone tissue. Improvement occurs much faster. Belladonna eliminates muscle spasms, swelling and helps reduce pain.
This auxiliary medication in the form of a patch is very helpful in the treatment of osteochondrosis, as it allows the patient to relieve pain in the spine in a short time and does not cause discomfort.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine
The main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine are as follows:
- pain in the chest, increasing with prolonged stay in one position and with physical activity;
- dull pain in the interscapular space;
- pain when lifting your right or left arm;
- pain with inclined movements of the body, with rotational movements of the upper part of the body;
- increased pain with deep inhalation and exhalation;
- pain in the intercostal spaces that appears while walking;
- a feeling of squeezing of the chest or back (as if by a hoop);
Signs of thoracic osteochondrosis can also be:
- a feeling of goosebumps crawling across the body, numbness in certain areas of the skin;
- itching, burning and coldness of the lower extremities;
- increased brittleness of nails and peeling of the skin (a sign of vascular disorders);
- causeless disorders of the gastrointestinal tract: constipation, diarrhea, flatulence, nausea.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine are often very similar to the symptoms of other diseases - in particular, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, gastrological diseases, pneumonia. Therefore, it is very important to carry out differential diagnosis using additional instrumental and laboratory examination methods.
Production of pepper plaster
The base of the pepper plaster is a uniform mixture of a yellowish tint - it is sticky to the touch and has a specific odor. This composition covers a special woven material covered with a protective film. Manufacturers offer patches of different sizes, ranging from 10x15 centimeters and above.
Pepper plasters are made using a special technology
The production of the patch takes place in a special medical reactor. To begin, take the pepper paste and mix it with rubber glue - this process lasts about half an hour. Then rosin is added, and the mixing process lasts another hour. After the mixing cycle, the resulting mass is applied to the fabric and dried. After the fabric has dried, the patch is packaged in paper bags.
Effect of pepper patch
As it turned out above, the elements of the pepper patch are belladonna and hot pepper. This combination of ingredients has a positive analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect on the patient. The product has a pronounced property of warming up the problem area of the body, and this helps relieve muscle spasms and relax the cervical region.
The main active ingredients of the pepper patch are belladonna and red pepper.
The effect of the therapeutic mass of the patch also helps to improve blood circulation by dilating blood vessels. Therefore, when sticking the patch, a person gets rid of the feeling of discomfort associated with pain. Pepper patch is used only to relieve symptoms along with concomitant therapy, since it has a local effect, and the components included in its composition do not enter the bloodstream.
Composition and release form
In pharmacies you can purchase the drug manufactured in domestic and foreign (mainly Chinese) pharmaceutical factories. Manufacturers produce it packaged in bags made of foil, plastic film, and paper. When choosing a transdermal agent for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, you should definitely take into account its composition. Chinese-made patches may contain essential oils of local plants, extracts from amphibians and insects. Localization of cervical osteochondrosis implies careful use of any external agents. Therefore, when purchasing, it is better to choose a pepper patch containing the following ingredients:
- dry extracts of capsicum and belladonna;
- dimethyl sulfoxide;
- essential eucalyptus oil;
- pine rosin containing phytoncides and bioflavonoids.
Additional ingredients used include lanolin, petroleum jelly, zinc oxide, synthetic rubber, and an additive with antioxidant properties.
The patch is a dense flexible sheet of hypoallergenic materials. It is coated with a medicinal base containing active ingredients. A cardboard box can contain from 1 to 6 patches, but more often there is no secondary packaging. The cost of one transdermal product is 20-30 rubles. For storage, choose places protected from direct sunlight.
Types of patches
Today, Chinese warming and analgesic patches are in greatest demand among patients.
The Chinese patch for osteochondrosis is in demand due to its components - they are of natural origin, so they rarely cause allergies. The composition is rich in a large number of natural herbs (more than 30 species). This includes natural elements such as ginseng, ginger, aconite, mint, pepper and licorice, many of which have anti-inflammatory and decongestant properties.
Indications for use of the Chinese patch:
- viral and infectious arthritis and arthrosis;
- osteochondrosis of various areas of the spinal column;
- rheumatism and radiculitis;
- fractures or cracks of bone tissue;
- joint dislocations;
- stretching of muscle fibers and ligaments;
- injuries of various etiologies;
- dysfunction of the respiratory apparatus.
The only contraindication is individual intolerance to the components of the patch.
The warming patch is designed to warm the sore spot. The most popular among these types of patches is “Ketonal Thermo”.
Application of the patch
Using adhesive plates is not difficult. After purchasing, just take it out of the package and stick it on the desired area of the body. Before application, the area of the body where the patch is to be glued should be wiped with any liquid that contains alcohol. Then you need to wait for the skin to dry and simply stick the patch on the desired place.
Pepper patch for osteochondrosis is used in two possible ways.
- One-piece plate. In this case, you just need to remove the protective plastic shell, which protects the patch from external influences and is located on the adhesive side of the medication. Then you need to apply the patch to the sore spot and wait for the therapeutic effect.
- A plate cut into pieces. This method is suitable for more targeted application of the product to areas where pain is felt. This application option gives the best effect, since it affects only certain points of the spine. Muscle pain and spasms disappear much faster, and bone tissue is restored.
Before you start using medicinal patches, you must consult a specialist. The doctor will indicate the application points necessary for application. Applying a patch to these areas will increase the body's natural defense response and direct its action to eliminate dysfunction in problem areas.
There are no difficulties in using the pepper patch, and, moreover, the patient does not require additional assistance
To remove the patch without experiencing pain, experts recommend following the instructions below:
- The patch should be peeled off with smooth movements, without sudden jerks;
- Before removing the patch, you must first soak the adhesive layer. To do this, place a piece of damp, warm cloth on the patch for about ten minutes;
- After removing the plate, it is necessary to soothe the skin with a special moisturizer or olive oil.
The use of pepper patch is allowed for osteochondrosis of various localizations. You can understand where exactly the painful place is located by simply clicking on the painful areas of the spinal column. Where “lumbago” is felt, it is necessary to make healing applications. And if you use the point gluing method, having previously cut the plate into small pieces of 1x1 cm, then you can wear the patch without removing it for up to four days. The activity of the treatment plate is maintained for this period - then it needs to be replaced with a new one.
Other features of the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, gastrological syndrome is often observed, which is often defined as a disease of the gastrointestinal tract. The main complaint of patients who often turn to a gastroenterologist is pain in the epigastric region, which, as a rule, intensifies in the afternoon after physical work and subsides (or completely disappears) after a full night's rest. Its appearance and intensification are practically unrelated to seasonality (as is known, in true patients with gastritis and peptic ulcers, autumn and spring rarely pass without serious exacerbations), food quality, and diet. These features of the manifestation of the syndrome help to establish the correct diagnosis.
With osteochondrosis, the intervertebral discs at the level of the 7-11th vertebrae suffer, the pain - sometimes strong, paroxysmal, sometimes dull, aching - spreads to the right hypochondrium. During an attack, patients are often admitted to the hospital with a variety of diagnoses: acute calculous cholecystitis, kidney prolapse, pancreatitis, colitis, urolithiasis. And only as a result of a detailed medical examination is it possible to make the correct diagnosis - osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine.
Vascular disorders caused by osteochondrosis can be suspected if the skin peels off for no apparent reason, the nails become very brittle, and the feet often feel chilly.
Often, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is complicated by intercostal neuralgia. Pain along the ribs extends to the sternum. Any movement increases the discomfort, including coughing, sneezing, even inhaling. Occasionally, pain may be felt in the anterior abdominal wall. An attack of intercostal neuralgia caused by thoracic osteochondrosis can last from several hours to several weeks. It can go away without treatment, but later long-term relapses occur. Provoking factors for such an attack of intercostal neuralgia can be heavy lifting, prolonged uncomfortable posture, hypothermia, colds and stress.
Tolerance test
To understand whether a certain organism tolerates the composition of the plaster mass, it is necessary to cut out a small square and stick it on any less sensitive part of the body, for example, on the upper limbs. Next, during the day you need to observe the skin’s reaction to the irritant. If itching or burning suddenly appears, and the skin becomes very red, then applying a pepper patch is extremely undesirable. It must be immediately removed from the surface of the skin, and Vaseline or a rich cosmetic cream should be applied to the reddened area. In cases where after application there is a feeling of warming in this area and the skin turns slightly pink, the patch can be recommended for therapy.
To understand whether the pepper patch is suitable for a particular patient, it is worth conducting a test tolerability of the components