The treatment of osteoarthritis ("deforming osteoarthritis", osteoarthritis) cannot be postponed "for later". Pathology always changes the joint structure, affects the bone, cartilage, can completely destroy the joint and the person becomes disabled. Therefore, it is dangerous to self-medicate, refuse official examination and methods of therapy.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative-dystrophic joint disease in which the joint gradually begins to deform, its function deteriorates, osteophytes grow along the edge of the bone, and cartilage is destroyed.
The main symptoms of the pathology are the presence of a creak when walking, pain syndrome of varying severity. In addition, with arthrosis, stiffness of movements appears, pain becomes permanent, constantly intensifies, atrophy of nearby muscles begins, and the space between the bones of the joint narrows. If there is no treatment at this stage, ankylosis (joint surface fusion) develops, disability occurs.
Conservative therapy of osteoarthritis
If you have symptoms of the disease, you need to be examined and immediately start treating osteoarthritis. Lack of adequate therapy can lead to complete loss of joint function and cause disability.
In mainstream medicine, the treatment of arthrosis is initially carried out by a conservative method. The patient is prescribed drugs, physical therapy, physiotherapy, orthopedic products, diet. With the permission of the doctor for osteoarthritis, you can also apply the methods of traditional medicine, traditional, homeopathy. A sick person needs to monitor his weight, avoid uneven loads on the joints, follow medical recommendations. If these complex methods do not bring a positive result, an operation is performed.
After a conservative and / or surgical treatment for the prevention of osteoarthritis, it is useful to undergo annual spa treatments. It is advisable to choose an institution specializing in pathologies of the musculoskeletal system and also equipped with thermal springs, therapeutic muds.
Medical treatment
A disease such as osteoarthritis can be primary or secondary (it develops against the background of other pathologies). Thus, the list of drugs used is selected individually for each patient.
The main drugs in the treatment of arthrosis:
- chondroprotectors;
- medical preparations of microcirculatory action;
- multivitamins, vitamins C, group B;
- mineral complexes;
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- corticosteroids (intra-articular injections);
- pain relievers;
- desensitizing (antiallergic) drugs;
- drugs for external use (ointments, creams, solutions, balms, gels, tinctures and medical bile).
Chondroprotectors are prescribed at all stages, forms of the disease, as they affect the mechanism of restoration of joint cartilage. HP is prescribed for oral administration, but even with osteoarthritis, injections are made into the joint cavity and / or into the muscle. For intra-articular injections, both chondroprotectors and corticosteroids are used.
Secondary deforming osteoarthritis is treated with the same group of drugs, but additional drugs are prescribed for the treatment of the pathology that caused degenerative-dystrophic changes in the joints.
Physiotherapy
Each physiotherapy has its own list of contraindications. Therefore, at the time of their choice, it may be necessary to consult a cardiologist, neurologist, endocrinologist or other specialist.
Basic physiotherapy
Drug treatment of osteoarthritis is supplemented with electrophoresis (with an anesthetic, zinc, lithium, sulfur), electro-sleep therapy, ultraphonophoresis. Paraffin applications are applied to the diseased joint, black wax, therapeutic muds are used. A joint damaged by osteoarthritis is also treated with a laser, magnetic field, diadynamic currents, and other impulses.
Therapeutic exercise for osteoarthritis
For 3-5 days after the removal of acute symptoms, gymnastics is prescribed. A set of physical therapy exercises is selected individually for each patient for the identified stage, the form of osteoarthritis. The first workout should start with minimal loads on the aching joint and at a slow pace. So, every 7-10 days, the exercises are complicated by the recommendation of a specialist.
Types of gymnastic tasks for the joints of the hands:
- circular movements in the hands, elbows, shoulders;
- swing back and forth, up and down;
- shrug your shoulders;
- connection-disconnection of the blades;
- turns of the palms towards the leg and away from it;
- flexion-extension at the elbows;
- clench fists with subsequent maximum straightening of the brush.
In case of damage to the pathology of the spine (osteochondrosis), arthrosis of the joints of the upper extremities - gymnastics is performed in a "sitting", "standing" position.
Types of gymnastic tasks for the leg joints:
- flexion-extension, circular movements of the hip, knee, ankle;
- swing back and forth, left and right;
- lift your knees;
- "bike";
- "butterfly";
- roll with one foot of small objects;
- grab the ball with your toes;
- lifting the tip of the foot "on itself".
With the development of coxarthrosis, gonarthrosis, arthrosis of the ankle, physical therapy is performed lying down, standing, and with damage to the small joints of the legs - sitting.
Exercise shouldn't cause pain in the injured joint. If it appears, it is necessary to reduce the load, the pace of execution. After each exercise, you also need to rest for up to 3 minutes.
Manual therapy for osteoarthritis
It is recommended to use the return of mobility of the joints with the help of the hands of a chiropractor in cases of I-II degree of arthrosis.
A chiropractor performs 2 types of correction of a deformed joint: manipulation (strong pressure movement) and mobilization (stretching of the damaged joint). The more complex the clinical case, the more sessions need to be performed.
Manual treatment of joints with arthrosis is complemented by massage. It is carried out every other day for all stages of the disease every 2-3 months with a course of up to 25 procedures, but only during remission and in the subacute period.
Manipulation is performed with sliding movements with light pressure (sawing, kneading, rubbing, etc. ). They massage not only the diseased joint, but also the nearby spine, nearby joints.
Home physiotherapy for osteoarthritis
People diagnosed with osteoarthritis now have the opportunity to have physiotherapy at home. Compact household appliances for medical purposes are sold on the Internet and in medical equipment stores.
The following devices are very popular for the treatment of osteoarthritis:
- magnetotherapy;
- magnetic laser therapy;
- low frequency pulsed magnetotherapy;
- laser therapy;
- reflex physiotherapy.
Before ordering a device for osteoarthritis, a doctor must absolutely clarify whether there are any contraindications to the effects of pulses, lasers, currents or magnetic fields on your body.
Non-pharmacological methods
Treatment of osteoarthritis requires the use of an orthopedic regimen. The purpose of the method is to unload the diseased joint, stabilize it in the correct anatomical and physiological position. With osteoarthritis, canes, crutches and corsets, special insoles with arch supports and pads and shoes, splints, orthoses, fixators, braces are used. It is recommended to order them in a local orthopedic salon according to the individual casts.
In online stores, you can buy cheaper those products whose design allows you to independently adjust the tension force. Usually these are elastic bandages, bandages, gauges, fastening belts, knee pads, elbow pads and similar orthopedic devices. However, before ordering a specific product for osteoarthritis, it is necessary to clarify with the attending physician all the necessary characteristics: the degree of tension, the presence and type of stiffeners, whether it is necessary to adjust the angle of extension of the limb in the diseased joint, additional conditions.
Climatotherapy also belongs to the non-pharmacological methods. During its use, a person is created special climatic conditions by prescribing thalassotherapy procedures, or it is recommended to visit a resort, undergo preventive medical treatment in wellness centers.
diet therapy
With secondary osteoarthritis, doctors recommend the patient one of the treatment tables. For example, to correct body weight, excess weight is removed using diet No. 8. In most cases, patients eat according to table no. 15 and ATS (general version of the diets).
With arthrosis, jelly products (jelly, gelatin, etc. ), avocado (1 piece per week), vegetable oils, freshly squeezed berry juices, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds help well and flax seeds. It is recommended to exclude fatty, smoked and salty foods from the diet.
Homeopathic medicines and herbal remedies for osteoarthritis
Doctors complement conservative methods with homeopathy and herbal medicine. Preparations based on natural ingredients improve the functioning of all body systems.
List of commonly used homeopathic remedies for osteoarthritis:
- Hydrofluoric acid;
- calcium fluoride;
- Phosphorus;
- calcium phosphate;
- Potassium carbonate.
Their reception is combined with other methods of official and traditional medicine.
List of commonly used herbal remedies for osteoarthritis:
- cinquefoil;
- unpeeled oats;
- yukurba (extraction of the devil's claws);
- medicinal collection (marshmallow and licorice roots, chamomile flowers, calendula).
Homeopathic and herbal remedies reduce the need for large doses of NSAIDs, analgesics, corticosteroids, antihistamines.
Joint operations
Surgical treatment of a disease such as osteoarthritis is resorted to in case of inappropriate use of conservative methods. Usually, the operation is performed when the patient seeks medical assistance late, when the pathology has already reached the 3-4 degree of development and threatens with disability.
Types of operations for osteoarthritis:
- arthrodesis;
- arthroscopic debridement;
- arthroplasty;
- periarticular osteotomy;
- endoprosthesis.
After surgery, the patient is transferred to conservative treatment, rehabilitation measures begin.
The use of lasers in surgery and physiotherapy for osteoarthritis
Laser therapy is prescribed for all degrees and types of deforming osteoarthritis. The rays of the devices used hit damaged tissues at the cellular, molecular and physiological (organ) level.
In physiotherapy for osteoarthritis, this property of the laser helps to restore microcirculation, relieve inflammation, pain and swelling, improve metabolism, self-regulation of regenerative processes. There are many types of devices and modes of operation. The rays of the device affect the surface and intra-articular layer of tissues, biologically active points (with laser acupuncture).
Laser treatment is also performed in surgery, only high-intensity equipment is used. The use of rays during the operation, in addition to their listed properties, contributes to the rapid restoration of tissues and minimizes the risk of wound infection.
When diagnosing osteoarthritis, laser spectroscopy can be prescribed and small joints examined with an infrared laser scanner. These methods are safer, cheaper than magnetic resonance, x-ray.
Folk and traditional medicine for osteoarthritis
Raw materials of natural origin must be selected individually, since each substance has its own contraindications. Medicinal preparations for osteoarthritis include plants with a metabolism-enhancing, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and analgesic effect. Most often they use willow bark, linden, St. John's wort, burdock, cinquefoil.
At home, it is convenient to treat arthrosis with clay. A good therapeutic effect has a blue, kaolin (white), green, yellow and black healing agent. Clay for arthrosis is added to the baths (1 tablespoon / 1 liter of water), the damaged joint is wrapped, an application is performed on it, the sore spot is rubbed with a mixture of clay and oil vegetable.
Among the methods of traditional medicine, acupuncture and apitherapy show good results. Some patients feel better after hirudotherapy, mineral therapy.
Sanatoriums and resorts
It is recommended to consolidate the effectiveness of the main treatment of osteoarthritis by resting in wellness centers and rehabilitation centers specialized in joint diseases. It is better to give preference to those institutions that have thermal, mineral, mud, healing clay, special gas springs.
Treatment in wellness centers is carried out with an emphasis on physiotherapy. A patient with arthrosis is definitely advised to follow a diet, not to miss physical therapy, massages. Between physiotherapy methods of balneotherapy are used. These are whirlpools, swimming, baths (hydrogen sulphide, salt, nitrogen, sulphide and radon). In the case of arthrosis, packs with therapeutic mud, exposure to heat, Bernard currents, lasers and magnetic fields are also prescribed. Each wellness center has its own therapeutic program, which must be clarified with the representative of the chosen institution before purchasing the ticket.
In each country there are institutions specialized in the treatment of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, with osteoarthritis, it is better to choose a health club with the help of the doctor. He will advise on the type of climate required, the holiday season, physiotherapy methods needed for prevention, provide information on resorts and recommend the best institution in his area or nearby.
The prognosis of osteoarthritis therapy
It is very important not to miss a scheduled medical examination (1-2 times a year) and to donate blood, urine for tests, as this allows doctors to timely detect pathological processes. But the later a person seeks medical attention, the worse the treatment prognosis worsens. With chronic osteoarthritis, doctors can relieve pain only by methods of conservative therapy, partially preserve the functions of the joint or advise to perform an operation in order not to get disabled.
The combination of methods of official, traditional and traditional medicine under the regular supervision of the attending physician increases the prognosis of the treatment of arthrosis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system.