What is possible for radiculitis and what is not: sauna, bath, warming up, walking

Patients with advanced cases of osteochondrosis often develop a natural complication - radiculitis. This is a condition in which the radicular nerves that extend from the spinal cord structure become inflamed. Is it possible to warm your back with radiculitis, take a bath, go to the bathhouse and steam there, visit your place of work - these and many questions arise acutely for anyone who is faced with a similar disease.

We propose to understand in detail what can be done for radiculitis, and what is best avoided. This article contains the most popular questions from patients. Recommendations for carrying out comprehensive effective treatment are also provided.

What is sciatica?

First, let's figure out what sciatica is and why it occurs. This is an inflammatory process, as indicated by the suffix -itis, of the radicular nerves (in Latin they are called radiculi). The inflammation is usually of an aseptic compression nature. Those. For its development, it is necessary that compression pressure begins to be exerted on the radicular nerve, as a result of which a disruption of the blood supply occurs and, against the background of ischemia, a compensatory type of inflammatory reaction is triggered.

Such phenomena usually accompany the following pathologies of the spinal column:

osteochondrosis is a degenerative dystrophic process leading to the destruction of the fibrous ring of the intervertebral disc, associated with severe compression of the radicular nerves;
protrusion and extrusion of the intervertebral disc is a complication of osteochondrosis;
intervertebral hernia - puts pressure on the radicular nerve and causes secondary inflammation due to the irritating effect of the nucleus pulposus;
spondyloarthritis and spondylosis are diseases that provoke impaired mobility in the intervertebral facet joints;
spondylolisthesis – displacement and instability of the position of the vertebral bodies, leading to compression of the radicular nerves;
Ankylosing spondylitis (ankylosing spondylitis);
systemic lupus erythematosus;
spine and spinal cord injuries;
sprains, ruptures and cicatricial deformities of the ligamentous and tendon apparatus along the spinal column;
tuberculosis and tumors of the spinal cord and tissues of the spinal column.

With radiculitis, severe pain syndrome is observed, pain irradiates along the affected nerve fiber, numbness of some parts of the body, decreased muscle strength, paresthesia and other neurological manifestations. If timely medical care is not provided, then the consequence of radiculitis is pathological overstrain of the muscle fiber, which further contributes to compression of the roots.

Complex treatment of radiculitis should be based on eliminating the action of the pathogenic factor. Those. First you need to eliminate the cause of the inflammatory reaction - pressure on the radicular nerve. If it is osteochondrosis, protrusion, extrusion or disc herniation, then it is recommended to first conduct several sessions of traction traction of the spinal column. This procedure will increase the spaces between adjacent vertebral bodies, restore the physiological shape of the intervertebral discs and relieve pressure from the radicular nerves.

Then the doctor develops an individual course of treatment, which may include osteopathy, massage, therapeutic exercises, kinesiotherapy, physiotherapy, reflexology, etc.

If you need effective and safe medical care for radiculitis, then you can make a free appointment with a vertebrologist right now. At our manual therapy clinic in Moscow, doctors provide a free first appointment for each patient. During the consultation, an examination is carried out and the results of examinations already carried out are reviewed. After an accurate diagnosis is made, an individual course of therapy is developed.

Five myths about sciatica

This pain is unlikely to be confused with any other. As soon as you bend down unsuccessfully, it becomes jammed: it’s as if a stake has been driven into your lower back, preventing you from straightening up. The pain is so unbearable that sparks fly out of the eyes. Many begin to self-medicate, remembering old-fashioned methods, and do not rush to the clinic. But in vain! You still need to go to the doctor, because even a slight “lumbago” can hide serious problems. Moreover, it can be difficult even for a doctor to determine the cause of lower back pain. Is this why there are so many myths about sciatica? The NG correspondent suggested Mikhail Olizarovich, Associate Professor of the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery of the State Medical University, Candidate of Medical Sciences, to refute them.

photo bayareanuccare.com
Myth one.
Lower back pain is almost always associated with muscle problems, not the spine - This is a very dangerous myth, which usually leads to a loss of time for the timely diagnosis of such dangerous diseases as tumors, spinal trauma, tuberculosis and purulent inflammation, which threaten human health and even life, — the scientist makes it clear. — Pain can be different - articular, muscular, ligamentous, discogenic, radicular. Muscular is only one of them and the least dangerous, of course, except in cases of tumor growth into the muscles. It is often secondary and occurs due to blockage of the intervertebral joint or rupture of the fibrous ring of the intervertebral disc. At the same time, eliminating muscle pain does not mean that the problem is solved once and for all, because the painful process can subtly continue in the affected organ. In some cases, muscle pain is even beneficial. For example, with a spinal injury or radiculitis, it is associated with spasm of the paravertebral muscles. This blocks the injury site or diseased disc and prevents damage to the spinal cord or nerves from developing.

Myth two. Herniated discs most often go away on their own

- Not always, but sometimes it happens. I have a scientific publication that notes that in 15% of patients, a hernia at the lumbar level can actually decrease in size down to normal, when a protrusion of up to 2 mm is acceptable, and the patient, unexpectedly for everyone, spontaneously recovers. However, it is impossible to predict what will happen to a hernia in a particular person, therefore the attitude towards the disease should be the most serious. It has been noticed that the reduction of hernia is accompanied by the absence of heavy physical labor and prolonged sitting.

Myth three. A bed, a heating pad and a horizontal bar are the best helpers for lower back pain

— Bed is “prescribed” only when pain worsens. If a person with radiculitis “stays ill” for a long time, his paravertebral muscles will begin to weaken, and chronic muscle pain may appear. However, in the first two to three days of an exacerbation, bed rest is really useful, since the supine position unloads the intervertebral discs and joints, which speeds up the recovery process.

Is it possible to go to the bathhouse and take a steam bath if you have radiculitis?

Whether it is possible to go to the bathhouse with radiculitis depends on the condition of the patient and what type of establishment you plan to visit. If this is a classic Russian steam room with a high level of humidity, then it is better not to risk it. Such a visit can lead to even greater pain. But you can visit the Turkish hammam.

Some doctors claim that you can steam with radiculitis and it even brings certain benefits. This is a very controversial issue. Whether it is possible to steam with radiculitis depends again on the person’s condition and the degree of exacerbation of the disease. In the acute period, any such procedures are strictly prohibited, since a huge number of inflammatory reaction factors accumulate in the area of nerve fiber compression. When exposed to hot air, they quickly spread throughout the surrounding soft tissues and the patient's condition deteriorates sharply.

You can take a steam bath for radiculitis only if all acute inflammatory processes have already been stopped and compression on the nerve fiber has been eliminated. It is necessary to agree with your doctor whether it is possible to take a steam bath if you have radiculitis and at what point it is better to start such procedures.

In most cases, with radiculitis, you can go to the bathhouse during periods of remission - when all the symptoms of osteochondrosis are eliminated, the person feels the complete well-being of his health. There is no pain (even minor), stiffness of movement, numbness, etc. With this state of health, if you have had an attack of radiculitis in the recent past, you can go to any bathhouse and steam there with any broom. But it is better to give preference to a Finnish sauna. There is no high level of humidity, and dry hot air has a more positive effect on the musculoskeletal system of the human body.

As you can see, the answer to the question of whether it is possible to go to the bathhouse with radiculitis is not unambiguous and does not apply to all situations. Usually you should approach this issue individually. If a person does not have a risk of developing an intervertebral hernia, compression of the radicular nerve is not very pronounced and is not detected by muscle fiber tension, then most likely he may be shown a steam room as an auxiliary therapeutic agent

Is it possible to heat radiculitis?

Heating radiculitis is strictly prohibited during periods of exacerbation of the disease . At this point, the patient, on the contrary, is prescribed the application of cold to the location of the disease, as well as mandatory drug treatment - without it, it will not be possible to overcome the exacerbation on your own. When the disease subsides and all its manifestations disappear, and the doctor cancels drug treatment, you need to talk to a specialist about when visits to the bathhouse can be allowed specifically in your case.

If the period of exacerbation is truly over, the specialist will allow you to warm up the body, as this will only contribute to recovery.

Note! Visiting the bathhouse is possible only when, in addition to radiculitis, a person does not have other diseases for which warming up is a categorical taboo.

Video: “What is sciatica?”

Consider other treatments for sciatica:

What ointments for radiculitis relieve back pain?
About the benefits of using injections to treat radiculitis on the page
How to properly do gymnastics for radiculitis can be read here

Is it possible to take a bath with radiculitis?

Another common question concerns whether it is possible to take a bath with radiculitis during an exacerbation, since not everyone has the opportunity to perform hygiene procedures in the shower.

The answer is clear: you can take a bath with radiculitis, but the water temperature should not exceed 40 ° C and the duration of water procedures should not last longer than 15 minutes. Lying in a bathtub filled with water, which gradually cools down, is strictly contraindicated; this can provoke increased pain and increase the level of muscle fiber tension in the area of compression.

Is it possible to do massage with radiculitis?

Is it possible to do massage for radiculitis yourself? The answer is categorically negative. Any manual impact on the area of damaged intervertebral discs can lead to catastrophic health consequences.

Is it possible to get a massage for radiculitis in massage and beauty salons? If employees without special medical education work there, then it is impossible. This can also lead to negative consequences.

The only place where you can get a massage for radiculitis is specialized clinics or rehabilitation departments at city clinics. The procedure must be carried out by a specialist with a medical education, certificate and certificate of completion of professional training courses. All other persons, even doctors, are not allowed to carry out such manipulations. That is, if a specialist has not completed a training course in conducting therapeutic massage, then he does not have the right to perform it.

Our manual therapy clinic employs experienced massage therapists who have medical education and have completed special professional training courses. Massage is a basic part of the effective treatment of radiculitis and osteochondrosis, protrusion or intervertebral hernia that provokes it.

Standard treatment for acute radiculopathy

For the treatment of acute lumbosacral (sciatica) or cervicobrachial radiculitis, namely to get rid of musculoskeletal pain, the doctor prescribes:

Motor mode . During the first two days, complete rest is indicated. In the future, after the pain subsides, it is necessary to regularly perform physical exercises aimed at strengthening the supporting structures of the back. Special exercise therapy significantly reduces the risk of a chronic or recurrent course of the disease.
Drug pain relief . Depending on the severity of the pain syndrome, these may be analgesics, acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids. Taking into account the patient's health and age, it is possible to use a muscle relaxant, for example, metaxalone.
Cold and warm. To further reduce muscle spasms at home, you can do the following:
from 3 to 5-7 days - water or electric heating pads with a temperature not higher than + 40 ° C are placed during the day at the same time intervals as cold dry compresses.

To avoid accidentally burning the skin on your back, do not use an electric heating pad at night.

Hardware physiotherapy . Effective and approved physiotherapy for radiculitis in the acute period is diathermy. Heating tissues using high-frequency alternating current well relaxes the reflex spasm of paravertebral muscle fibers, which is inevitably caused by any pain in the back. You can replace these procedures with going to the bathhouse only after the permission of your doctor.

On a note. In some cases, manual therapy can help with acute radiculitis. However, it can only be used in the absence of osteoporosis, protrusion or herniated disc. After the manual session, for 3-4 hours, it is recommended to wear a tightening corset.

Is it possible to warm the back with radiculitis and apply mustard plasters?

The question of whether it is possible to heat a sore spot with radiculitis depends on the circumstances. If it is dry, low-intensity heat, then yes, the procedure will have a beneficial effect on the condition of the inflamed tissues. But using various compresses, heating pads, and hot irons is not only not advisable, but also contraindicated.

For radiculitis, you can heat it with ozokerite, a bag filled with hot salt, UHF, magnet, etc. Also, for radiculitis, you can warm your back using dog hair belts. But the use of various alcohol tinctures is prohibited.

If you have any other methods, then consult your doctor about whether you can warm your back with radiculitis using a similar method. You can also contact us using the feedback form. We will try to answer it as objectively as possible.

We are also often asked whether it is possible to place mustard plasters on a sore spot for radiculitis and whether this procedure helps in treatment. Mustard is a local irritant that causes a reflex expansion of small blood vessels in the thickness of the epidermis. Due to the influx of fresh capillary blood, damaged cells are restored faster and pain is relieved. Therefore, mustard plasters can be used, but be careful not to cause a skin burn. At the site of compression of the radicular nerve, skin sensitivity may be reduced and a person may not feel the moment when a chemical skin burn reaction develops.

When treatment of radiculitis with folk remedies helped

Even if time-tested home-grown techniques help, you cannot delude yourself. Only the superficial symptoms of radiculitis are relieved, that is, pain, but the inflammatory process in the nerve roots continues to go on, that is, problems with the functionality of the spine do not go away, but they grow in both the number and severity of the damage. The patient must understand that lumbar radiculitis is not a pain in the bones. These are nerves, and treatment should be carried out by a qualified neurologist, who will immediately warn that it is under no circumstances possible to heat the area where the source of the inflammatory process is located. You need an anti-radiculitis belt, preferably an orthopedic one, to at least partially relieve tension in the muscles and the load on the spinal column.

And then, when the acute condition is over, you need to constantly protect the pelvic area from hypothermia. And for this you need to purchase a camel medical belt “LEONARDA”, which will cope with this task perfectly. It is sold in pharmacies throughout Russia, you can also order it on the website Apteka.ru, in which case delivery will be free to anywhere in Russia - to the pharmacy that the buyer specifies in the order. Doctors usually advise patients to purchase medical products from this particular company, and there are very good reasons for this choice.

has been cooperating with pharmacy chains for many years, and its products have never caused any complaints either in terms of quality or purely medical indicators. The yarn and elastic fabric from which the finished products are made have special patents: No. 2289643, No. 2319800, and the finished product itself received the Roszdravnadzor registration certificate No. FSR 2010/08307, without which it is prohibited by law to position the product as medical. That is why products made from LEONARDA camel wool are sold in pharmacies; they have the specified technical characteristics and a proven therapeutic effect.

For the treatment of lumbar radiculitis, many patients buy a warm belt not in a pharmacy, but in an online store or at any other retail outlet. This is wrong, because no one can guarantee that these products are preventive and curative, that is, medical. Not every manufacturer puts their products through many checks to obtain a registration certificate from Roszdravnadzor, and not every manufacturer will be able to pass all these tests. Often, a patient cannot retain muscle heat in a purchased belt precisely because there is no wool in it, which means there is no heat. Unfortunately, this is discovered too late, and therefore it is better not to risk it and listen to the doctor: he knows exactly where to buy the belt correctly, he has a lot of experience.

Is it possible to walk and work with radiculitis?

The question of whether it is possible to walk with radiculitis is asked by patients who, in principle, have not encountered such a complication of osteochondrosis. The fact is that even with a strong desire to walk fully, a patient with inflammation of the radicular nerves will not be able to walk. Muscle tone decreases, it seems that the legs do not obey. Therefore, it is certainly possible to walk with radiculitis, but why is it necessary?

Another common question: is it possible to work with radiculitis? No, you cannot work during an exacerbation of osteochondrosis. The patient is given a certificate of temporary incapacity for work for the entire period of therapy, bed rest and limited physical activity are prescribed, since the risk of developing an intervertebral hernia is high. Complete compression of the radicular nerve, which can occur if this recommendation is not followed, will lead to paralysis of the upper or lower extremities.

If you still have questions about the treatment of radiculitis, you can ask them in a special form on the questions to the doctor page. If you need safe and effective treatment for osteochondrosis complicated by radiculitis and relieve pain without the use of pharmacological drugs, you can make an initial free appointment with our vertebrologist. The doctor will conduct an examination, make an accurate diagnosis and develop an individual course of therapy.

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Precautions when visiting the steam room

As you already understand, there is no clear answer to the question of whether it is possible to steam with radiculitis in a bathhouse, and in each individual case the decision depends on the general condition of the patient. If you have acute pain that radiates to the limbs or different parts of the body, then, of course, you should not visit the steam room. If possible, you can visit the hammam or Finnish sauna, but at a maximum temperature of up to +60°C.

It is recommended to take precautions in the bathhouse. First of all, monitor your condition. The sauna is a high load on the cardiovascular system. If there is a focus of inflammation in the body, this can increase the risk of spasm of blood vessels. Therefore, if you feel pressure in your chest or lack of air, leave the sauna immediately.

The second thing you should pay close attention to is the sensations in the area of inflammation of the radicular nerve. There shouldn't be any burning pain. Muscle relaxation should not lead to a deterioration in the condition of the nerve fiber. Therefore, after you have steamed, do not jump up suddenly. Try to lie down for a while until muscle tone returns to normal.