[Use of movalis in treatment of dorsopathy]

In regard to therapeutic effect of different medications used in dorsopathy treatment, non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs rank first. Compounds selectively blocking COX-2 received special attention due to their minimal impact on COX-1 that provides good anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect with simultaneous dramatic reduction of ulcerogenic activity. One of the first drugs with such an action is Movalis (meloxicam). Thirty patients were divided into 2 groups, the first including 22 patients with vertebral diseases and musculotonic syndromes; patients of the second group (8) had a pain syndrome caused by disk herniation. During the first 3 days Movalis was administered in the form of injections (15 mg/day) and in the same doses in tablets for the following 20 days. After the treatment course, complete arrest of pain syndrome was observed in 33.3% patients, significant improvement--in 53.3% and insignificant effect--in 13.3%. Patients with reflex pain and musculotonic syndromes had a good analgesic effect after 3-day course of intramuscular injections, with the effect being mostly expressed in 8-10 days. Patients with diskogenic compressive radicular syndrome demonstrated a stable analgesic effect after a week of Movalis intake in tablet form. Movalis is well tolerated; side effects have occurred in 10 patients but they were minimal and did not lead to the change of medication dose or additional therapy.