More and more people suffer from back pain. Trauma, infection or congenital anomaly, back pain can be the sign of many pathologies. There are different types of treatment that can relieve them. The mesotherapy is one of the most popular techniques. In this article, discover how to treat back pain with mesotherapy.
What is mesotherapy?
Mesotherapy is a therapeutic method. It is generally used as an alternative treatment. It consists of inject low doses of drugs directly into the area to be treated.
The healthcare professional uses sterile needles that are 4 to 13 mm in length and 0,4 mm in diameter. It is possible to use them manually or using an injector (mechanical or electronic).
All injections are done by intradermal route. This means that they are made at the level of the deep layer of the skin.
Different substances can be injected during this treatment, including:
- prescription drugs such as painkillers, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, vasodilators, antibiotics or muscle relaxants;
- hormones and enzymes;
- vitamins and minerals;
- herbal substances.
There are no exact formulas regarding the dose and mixture of these substances. They must take into account the pathology, the decision as well as the knowledge of the mesotherapist.
The principle of this therapeutic method is to better target the pathology while minimizing the doses of substances used.
Mesotherapy: only for back pain?
Mesotherapy is not only indicated in the back pain treatment. It can also act on other pathologies characterized by localized pain and nervous insufficiencies.
This type of therapy can also treat:
- osteoarthritis;
- sprains;
- tendonitis;
- migraines and headaches;
- shingles;
- ENT disorders and infections (tinnitus, etc.);
- stress and depression-related disorders;
- blood circulation problems such as varicose veins;
- aesthetic problems such as skin aging, wrinkles, cellulite, excess fat, hyperpigmentation of the skin.
What are the procedures of mesotherapy?
Each mesotherapy doctor has his own injection technique. But the procedures followed are more or less the same, whatever the pathology to be treated. They are therefore also valid for the treatment of back pain..
First, the mesotherapist establishes the diagnosis using clinical and paraclinical examinations. These examinations make it possible to determine the pathology of the patient, his condition, the mixtures of substances to be injected, the number of injections as well as the techniques to be used.
Sometimes the doctor performs a palpation of the area to detect any pain. For the case of back pain, the patient stands up, supine or prone, and digital pressure is applied to the level of his back to assess the sore areas and the intensity of the pain.
When the area to be treated is well targeted, the healthcare professional proceeds to disinfection. The injection follows. For more precise injections, he usually uses an assisted device (injector gun).
Depending on the type of back pain, various injection techniques can be applied.
- Intraepidermal injection: it is a very superficial injection. The needle is positioned parallel to the skin, which continuously releases the injected substance.
- Intradermal injection by topping: it is more or less superficial: the needle is more inclined. The release of the product is non-continuous.
- Intradermal injection point by point: this is a deeper injection. The needle is introduced perpendicular to the skin.
To know everything about the different types of infiltration for back pain, see the following article.
The needles used are for single use: they are directly thrown away. After the injections, a gentle massage is sometimes applied to increase the effectiveness of the treatment. The massage therapy has positive effects on drainage and absorption of substances.
As part of the treatment of back pain, it is necessary to follow more than one mesotherapy session in the majority of cases. After each session, the evolution of the symptoms and of the pathology itself must be monitored before moving on to the next infiltration.
What are the risks and complications of mesotherapy?
Injections are not without risks. It is possible to experience some side effects such as:
- redness;
- hematomas;
- swellings;
- a certain sensitivity, even pain.
Side effects are usually localized to skin that has undergone multiple punctures.
Sometimes abscesses can occur if the affected areas become infected with microorganisms. Allergies can also occur.
Also, combining certain medications may call into question the safety and effectiveness of the treatment. The synergy and antagonism between the mixed substances as well as their harmlessness must therefore be considered in order to limit the possible risks and complications.
Mesotherapy can cause a pathology to evolve negatively if it is used as the main treatment, that is to say instead of the usual medical treatment.
However, the risks and complications are usually minimal if the conditions are within the norm. This is why it is always wise to consult a professional and experienced mesotherapist.
Mesotherapy: is it proven by science?
This spot treatment may be more effective than medication taken by mouth. Thanks to mesotherapy, medicinal substances reach the area to be treated more quickly. The side effects of drugs in the digestive tract are thus more or less avoided.
We say "more or less", because some bibliographies stipulate that, even locally injected, the diffusion of substances throughout the body is not inevitable. The advantage therefore lies in the fact that the dose used is reduced to the strict minimum.
Although validated by the Council of the Order of Physicians for several years, no particular scientific study has yet completely ensured the effectiveness and safety of mesotherapy in general.
However, some scientific data have been found in some bibliographic studies that prove its effectiveness in relieving certain types of back pain, according to which the result of the treatment is very effective in 75% of the cases studied. In these patients, the pain subsides or disappears.
More than half of the subjects studied claimed to have had a marked improvement in their state of health with, in addition, a reduction in the consumption of drugs. Only 25% of patients did not feel the effectiveness of mesotherapy because of a certain intolerance or their neurotonic condition.
To conclude, mesotherapy can be summed up in a few words “ little, rarely and in the right place », as Dr. Michel Pistor said. He was the one who invented it in 1952. It is a very interesting and very popular therapeutic technique thanks to the various advantages it offers. For the treatment of back pain, it is effective insofar as it is carried out under the required conditions minimizing the risks. You still have to be careful since no scientific study has yet been able to prove its effectiveness.
References
https://www.vidal.fr/maladies/appareil-locomoteur/mal-dos-lombalgie/traitements.html
My name is Arotoky and I am studying human medicine. Web editor for more than 5 years, I currently focus on the theme of health and well-being. I have the strong conviction that with my valuable articles, I can help many people to relieve their ailments and feel better. My goal is to share my health knowledge with the general public through web writing.