Which treatment methods are available for osteochondrosis?

The type of treatment depends the severity of disease symptoms. Physical therapy is the main focus in the initial phases.

Methods to stabilise the movement segments

Conservative treatment

• Pharmaceutical pain therapy (NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, opiates, etc.)
• Physical pain therapy (electrotherapy, ultrasound, heat treatment, etc.)
• Treatment with injections (trigger point injections, nerve blocks,etc)
• Back classes
• Relaxation exercises
• Transplantation of intervertebral disc cells

Surgical treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine

Surgical treatment is always the last treatment option available. There are cases where surgery is is a must. Examples of this include paralysis of the bladder or rectum caused by narrowing of the spinal canal or a slipped disc.

The following surgical techniques are available

• Minimal invasive surgery to increase the width of the spinal canal
• Minimal invasive implantation of an intervertebral disc prosthesis (cervical spine and lumbar spine)
• Dynamic systems (lumbar spine)
• Minimal invasive surgical fusion from the rear (dorsal) or the front (ventral), alone or in combination with TLIF (transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion) or PLIF (posterior lumbar interbody fusion) in combination with percutaneous instrumentation (lumbar spine)