Diseases of the joints and spine - a problem that haunts almost everyone. Pharmacology and surgery are not always the same panacea. At the same time, there is another method of treatment, effective and painless, proven for centuries - this is physiotherapy. The method is rightfully recognized as the safest. However, there are contraindications to physiotherapy - both to the procedure in general and to its individual types.
What is physical therapy?
If we turn to the Greek roots of the word, we get "treatment with the help of natural factors." At first they were stones, dirt, a certain climate. Then the technical achievements of mankind joined in - magnetotherapy, radiotherapy, electrotherapy, mechanotherapy, hydrotherapy, etc. appeared.
Physiotherapy (contraindications to the procedure will definitely be considered by us) is used in the treatment of a large number of diseases. However, it occupies the most leading position in relation to musculoskeletal pathologies. Its methods contribute to the rapid removal of pain, accelerate recovery, recoverymotor functions.
The value of the technique is that it awakens and uses the internal reserves of the human body for self-healing of the system. And this allows you to reduce the proportion of medications taken, the harm from their side effects.
Main benefits of the treatment method
Physiotherapy (there are also contraindications to it) stands out from other methods of treatment as follows:
- Pointly affects only the pathological focus, and not the entire body as a whole.
- Risk of side effects is minimal.
- Painless gentle treatments.
- High efficiency (especially in combination with drug therapy).
Varieties of physiotherapy
Physiotherapy, contraindications to which we will consider in the next subheading, is divided into several varieties - treatment groups. The basis for the classification is the leading physical impact factor.
Let's give this gradation:
- Hydrotherapy - exposure to water.
- Balneotherapy - treatment with special mineral solutions.
- Pelotherapy - carried out with the help of therapeutic mud.
- Thermotherapy - treatment based on thermophysical effects.
- Climatotherapy, aerotherapy - treatment with the help of air (mountain peaks, pine forests, etc.), the climate of certain natural areas.
- Barotherapy - treatment based on a certain atmospheric pressure.
- Mechanotherapy - built on the basisexposure to certain mechanical factors.
- Phototherapy is literally light therapy.
- Magnetotherapy - a therapeutic effect is achieved by exposing the patient to a magnetic field.
- Electrotherapy - treatment with electric current.
Absolute contraindications to the procedure
General contraindications to physiotherapy - those in which any of its varieties are negative for the patient's he alth:
- Cancer spectrum.
- Serious pathologies that affected the heart system, lungs.
- Pregnancy and lactation.
- Liver or kidney failure.
- Mental disorders in the acute stage.
- Skin diseases during their exacerbation.
- Infectious diseases at the time of the acute stage.
Contraindications to certain types of physiotherapy
However, there are a number of diseases, factors that, say, will act as a contraindication, an indication for physiotherapy-magnets. Let's take a look at them:
- Bone fractures are contraindications for electrotherapy.
- Individual hypersensitivity to ultraviolet radiation is a contraindication to UV radiation.
- Blood clotting disorder is a contraindication to physiotherapy: magnetic therapy, therapeutic massage, electropulse treatment.
- Ruptures of tendons, muscles, ligaments - a contraindication toelectrotherapy, shock wave therapy.
- Age up to 6 years - contraindication to shock wave treatment, ultrasound, magnetic therapy, ultraphonophoresis.
- Diseases of the endocrine nature (diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease) - a contraindication for laser physiotherapy, UV irradiation, ultrasound therapy, ultraphonophoresis.
Indications for electrotherapy
Now let's move on to the main indications for this or that type of electrophysiotherapy:
- UHF-therapy (decimeter electric waves) - both injuries and diseases of the joints, the spinal column of various nature.
- Shortwave diathermy - diseases of the musculoskeletal system associated with inflammatory processes.
- UHF therapy (exposure to ultra-high frequency current) - musculoskeletal injuries, diseases.
- Darsonvalization - treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine.
- Low-frequency electrotherapy - treatment of arthrosis, arthritis of the joints, both small and large.
- Electrophoresis - the scope of use depends on the administered drug solution.
- Galvanization - treatment of the consequences of injuries, spinal injuries, osteochondrosis, joint diseases.
Indications for other methods of physiotherapy
Consider the indications for physiotherapy given here:
- Treatment with baths, showers with mineral water - general rehabilitation procedures.
- Mud therapy - treatment of arthrosis, arthritis, injuries anddiseases of the joints, bones.
- Cryotherapy - connective tissue injuries.
- Ozokeritotherapy - treatment of the consequences of injuries, diseases affecting the joints and bones.
- Paraffin therapy - pathologies and injuries of joints and bones.
- Ultraphonophoresis - the scope of use depends on the drug used.
- Ultrasound therapy - treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine.
- Vibrotherapy - the fight against spasms and pain.
- Shock wave treatment - therapy for degenerative diseases affecting the spine and joints.
- Therapeutic massage - prevention and treatment of the entire spectrum of diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
- UV irradiation - treatment of diseases of the joints, spine, which are characterized by the development of the inflammatory process.
- IR irradiation - treatment of bone injuries, elimination of pain.
- Magnetotherapy - injuries and injuries of the spine and joints.
Risk of complications
We have reviewed the indications and contraindications for physiotherapy - magnetotherapy, UV irradiation, electrotherapy, and so on. And what is the risk of developing complications? This manifests itself in the following:
- Exacerbation of diseases that were previously in the category of chronic and sluggish.
- Deterioration of well-being, general he alth of the patient.
Note that the risk of such complications is comparatively very small. They occur mainly in a couple of cases:
- The patient was engagedself-medication.
- When choosing one or another type of physiotherapy, general and special contraindications were not taken into account.
Physiotherapy is thus one of the safest treatments. However, it also has contraindications, both general and particular.
