Treatment of patients with lumbar osteochondrosis by using of the method of intertissue electrostimulation and its effectivity

 Andrew A.Gerasimov

Ekaterinburg, Russia

Abstract

68 patients were treated with a new treatment method of painful syndromes by osteochondrosis vertebralis - the method of intertissue electrotherapy: bringing of special electric current to the affected vertebra by means of a needle-electrode. 92% of patients have lost their painful syndromes, the treatment terms were cut by half, the relapse frequency was reduced in 2,5 times. The patiens had no complications. One of the effecting mechanisms of the intertissue electrotherapy is optimisation of metabolism in the vertebralis tissues.

Introduction

58,2% of population are suffering from lumbar osteochondrosis [2].The traditional treatment is prolonged and ineffective. The complex conservative treatment in a hospital takes 1-1,5 months. The painful syndrome dissappears only in 30,6% of cases [5]. Only 26% of patients have paracme lasting till two years.

Traditional electrotherapy methods are ineffective, because the skin puts obstacles in the way of current inside the organism and changes its frequency-amplitude characteristics in 100-500 times [3]. During electrophoresis the medicines practically do not penetrate through skin [4] and have no effect upon the bony tissue.

Method

The patient lies on abdomen. After the skin is desinfected with spirit, a sterile needle is being brought to the affected vertebra until touching the process of vertebrae spinous or to the arcus. The active electrode is connected to the needle.

The passive forked electrode (plates 80 cm sq.) is laid on pelvis by lumbar pains or on the place of pain irradiation. The pulsing current with frequency 50-100 Hz is given to the electrodes. Current intensity is selected individually and changes from 5 to 20 mA. The procedure lasts 15-25 minutes. The treatment is taken every two days, the treatment course has 2-5 seances according to pain elimination.

Results

There were compared the treatment results in two groups consisting of rather similar hospital patients. 72 patients were treated with the traditional complex methods, 68 patients were treated by using intertissue electrotherapy as the main and only one method.

Rehabilitation of paravertebral muscles and biomechanical characteristics of vertebral column were examined in both groups before and after treatment and also one and three months of treatment. To expose the effecting mechanism of the intertissue electrotherapy method on the vertebral column and surrounding tissues there was done a polarographical examination of patients with study of thy oxygen regimen of the paravertebral tissues.

By using of the traditional method there was observed the pain elimination in 51 % of cases (37 people), the absence of positive dynamics – in 5,5% of cases (4 people) and in the other cases there was observed the adatement of pain – also a satisfactory result. By using of the intertissue electrotherapy method there was observed the full pain elimination in 92% of cases (64 people), and the other patients had positive dynamics. Only one patient with disc hernia and symptomatology of radix compression had no effect.

The dynamics of functional data of paravertebral muscles was approximating to the norm already after intertissue electrotherapy treatment and a month later it became normal in all parameters. The traditioal treatment methods make this process much more longer, the normarlizathion of all parameters took place only in 3 months after the treatment. There was done a comparative study of the rehabilitation degree of biomechanical factors and mobility of vertebrel column during the treatment. A month after treatment all indices of the patients after intertissue electrotherapy got for certain normal and got only better by patients with traditionel methods. So, the method of intertissue electrotherapy brings to the more rapid rehabilitation of the vertebral column.

The term of traditional complex method make 26,4 ±2,3 days on average. The terms of intertissue electrostirnulation are twice as short and make 11,9±1,8 days.

The investigation of the regimen of paravertebral tissues has shown, that the treatment of osteochondrosis by using intertissue electrostimulationis leading to a great optimization of the oxygen budget in the vertebral tissues. Both oxygen delivery and consumption are growing.

To study the duration of remission the treatment results were examined during next 2-5 years by 9.3 patients. 53% of patients treated with traditional method without electrostimulation had pain relapse during 2 years and 78% - during 5 years. Only 14% of patiens treated by using of intertissue electrostimulation had relapse after 2 years, and 31% - after 5 years.

So, the intertissue electrostimulation is an effective method for treatment of patients with lumbar vertebral pain. One of the effecting mechanisms of the intertissue electrostimulation is optimization of metabolism in the tissues of the affected vertebrae.

References

1. Author"s Certificate of USSR 1103855 .Treatment method of diseases of the vertebral column /A.A.Gerasimov. Bulletin of discoveries and inventions.-1984. -N 27. -p. 15.
2. Morosova T.G.Dispanserisation ,of patients with radiculitis. Journal for neuropatology and psychiatry. - 1974. -N 4. -p. 511-515.
3. Presman A.S.Electromagnetic fields and the nature.- Moscow, Nauka, 1968 - p. 20-25.
4. Ulashik V.S. Introdaction in the theoretical principles of physiotherapy. -Minsk, 1981. -236 p.
5. Jumashev G.S.,Furman M.E. Osteochondrosis of the vertebral column.-Moscow, 1984. -381 p.