Arthrosis is a disease accompanied by dystrophic changes in the articular cartilage without an inflammatory process. As a rule, the disease is most often diagnosed in the elderly (after 45 years). However, there are exceptions when the disease occurs at a young age, mainly after injuries. It cannot be completely removed. Treatment of arthrosis should be comprehensive in order to alleviate exacerbations and improve the general condition.
How to treat arthrosis?
The following are used in complex therapy:
- Medicines (painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, chondroprotectors);
- physiotherapy (heating, laser, UVT therapy, electrophoresis, ultrasound);
- special exercises;
- surgical intervention (at later stages, in the absence of effectiveness of medicines);
- folk remedies;
- massage therapy;
- Non-traditional methods (hirudotherapy, acupuncture, acupuncture).
Each stage of treatment should be developed by the doctor individually for each patient.
How to treat arthrosis with drugs?
To date, there are a large number of drugs that are used to treat this disease. However, they only help to eliminate the main symptoms and alleviate the patient's condition. It is impossible to restore articular cartilage, because dystrophic changes are irreversible.
Medical therapy consists of the following drugs:
- NSAIDs to reduce pain and inflammation;
- chondroprotectors with chondroitin and glucose;
- Corticosteroids for intra-articular administration are used in severe cases of the disease, they can relieve inflammation and restore the mobility of the damaged joint;
- Hyaluronic acid for intra-articular injection - used as a joint lubricant, it can prevent friction, reduce pain, help the formation of hyaluronate.
If the joint has undergone severe deformations, drug treatment will be powerless. It can only be changed by surgery.
Physiotherapy
Warming helps to relieve pain and normalize blood circulation. However, this method is used only at the initial stage of the disease, when there are no serious injuries. Sometimes doctors advise their patients to visit the bath, believing that it has a beneficial effect on well-being. But we must remember that it is necessary to warm up the joint moderately. Overheating, as well as hypothermia, will negatively affect the development of the disease. It is also forbidden to heat the affected area during an exacerbation.
One of the methods of physiotherapy involves the use of a laser to stop the progression of degenerative processes. During the procedure, the painful area is exposed to light. As a result, it is possible to improve blood circulation, remove inflammation, swelling and eliminate pain. Before starting the laser procedure, it is necessary to examine the patient. Prohibited during exacerbation.
The effectiveness of electrophoresis in arthrosis has been confirmed. Special drugs act on the affected area, for which an electric field is created. Due to this, the drug breaks down into ions, then passes into the upper layers of the skin, enters the blood and spreads throughout the body.
UVT therapy helps to cure arthrosis. This procedure helps eliminate inflammation, softens calcium deposits and removes it from the body, reducing swelling. However, this method of physiotherapy has many contraindications, including thrombosis, diabetes, tumors and purulent processes.
Ultrasound exposure allows you to anesthetize the damaged area, relieve inflammation. Usually, ultrasound treatment is used during the rehabilitation period after surgery.
surgery
When medications are ineffective, which usually happens in the advanced stages of the disease, the doctor may decide to perform surgery. There are several types of such operations:
- Arthroplasty - damaged cartilage is replaced with an artificial pad, which helps reduce pain and improve mobility;
- prosthetics - the joint is completely removed and a prosthesis made of special material is installed instead, which prevents rejection by the body;
- Arthroscopy - helps prevent the destruction of the joint, areas with inflammatory processes are removed during the operation.
If the patient consults a doctor at an early stage of the disease, surgical intervention can be avoided.
Folk remedies
In complex therapy, in addition to medicines, folk remedies are used to help the patient get rid of unpleasant symptoms.
The following recipes have gained popularity:
- Mix equal amounts of calendula flowers, birch leaves and nettle leaves, then pour 2 tablespoons of the herbal collection into 1 liter of boiling water and insist overnight, take half a cup 5 times a day;
- Mix fresh egg yolk with turpentine and apple cider vinegar in equal proportions, rub the painful area with the obtained mass and wrap it with a woolen scarf, leave it overnight;
- 2 teaspoons of celery juice are taken 3 times a day;
- Squeeze the juice from the head of the cabbage, wet a woolen cloth and apply it as a compress;
- Cook oatmeal until thick, cool and apply compresses at night;
- Pharmacy root elecampane (25 g) insisted for 12 days in 150 ml of vodka, rubbed at night.
Traditional medicine will not replace drugs, but will be an excellent addition to them.
Basic rules for using traditional medicine
When using folk remedies, you must follow these general rules:
- Before using one of the recipes, it is necessary to consult a doctor, who after a detailed examination can indicate possible complications;
- It is important not only to consult a specialist, but also to conduct an allergic reaction test yourself - for this, a small amount of the product is applied inside the wrist for 2 hours;
- It is not recommended to overdose, because in this case the risk of side effects increases;
- It is advisable to use fresh infusions and ointments, because the harvest for future use is not suitable for all recipes;
- If adverse effects are observed, the treatment should be stopped and another remedy should be chosen.
To avoid complications, you should follow these simple rules.
special exercises
Therapeutic exercises are performed to prevent weakening of ligaments and muscle atrophy. Exercise is selected individually, depending on the condition of the patient and the course of the disease. A physiotherapist does this.
Exercise is prohibited during exacerbation, as well as 6 days before the removal of severe pain. When performing therapeutic exercises, the main task is to restore mobility and flexibility.
Unconventional ways
Non-traditional methods of treating this disease include hirudotherapy, acupuncture and acupuncture.
Puppies are used in hirudotherapy. Although this method is not medical, it is quite effective. Leks are placed on special points that correspond to certain active zones. It helps to increase microcirculation in tissues, eliminate muscle spasms and reduce swelling. Medicinal puppy saliva has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties.
Acupuncture is based on the activation of certain points with needles. Sometimes lit worm sticks are used instead. The effect is similar to the result of hirudotherapy. Metabolic processes improve significantly, blood circulation increases and pain syndrome is relieved.
All the above procedures should be performed only by specialists. Otherwise, instead of improvement, a sharp deterioration of the condition may occur.
Massage therapy
The most desired result of therapeutic massage is the recovery of the working capacity of the affected joint. However, this is possible when arthrosis of the joints is in the initial stage of development. Massage should be performed only by a specialist. Sometimes the patient is allowed to perform it independently, but for this it is necessary to learn this technique. Before the procedure, the affected area is warmed up using a regular warm shower or exercise therapy exercises.
One of the types is hydromassage, which is carried out by immersion in a warm bath. The full course is up to 20 procedures. It is recommended to repeat them at least twice a year. If the massage is done correctly, there is a pleasant warmth and relaxation afterwards. To achieve the desired result, it is necessary to gradually increase the duration of the procedure.
Only an integrated approach will allow you to get rid of the symptoms of arthrosis and prevent exacerbations.