Arthrosis is a disease that is accompanied by dystrophic changes in articular cartilage without an inflammatory process. As a rule, the disease is most often diagnosed in older people (after 45 years). However, there are exceptions when the disease appears at a younger age, mostly after injuries. It is impossible to completely get rid of it. In order to alleviate the exacerbation and improve the general condition, the treatment of arthrosis should be comprehensive.
How to treat arthrosis?
Complex therapy uses:
- drugs (painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, chondroprotectors);
- physiotherapy (heating, laser, UVT therapy, electrophoresis, ultrasound);
- special exercises;
- surgical intervention (in later stages, in the absence of effectiveness of drugs);
- folk remedies;
- massage therapy;
- non-traditional methods (hirudotherapy, acupuncture, acupuncture).
Each of the stages 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 mobility to the damaged joint;
- hyaluronic acid for intra-articular injection - used as a joint lubricant, can prevent friction, reduce pain, help create hyaluronate.
If the joint has suffered severe deformities, drug treatment will be powerless. Only surgery can replace that.
Physiotherapy
Warming up helps to get rid of pain and normalize blood circulation. However, this method is used only in the initial stage of the disease, when there are no serious injuries. Sometimes doctors recommend their patients to visit the bath, believing that it has a beneficial effect on well-being. But it should be remembered that it is necessary to warm the joint moderately. Overheating, like hypothermia, will negatively affect the development of the disease. It is also forbidden to heat the damaged area during exacerbations.
One of the methods of physiotherapy is the use of lasers to stop the progression of degenerative processes. During the procedure, the painful area is exposed to a light flux. As a result, it is possible to improve blood circulation, relieve inflammation, swelling and remove pain. Before the laser procedure, the patient must be examined. When it gets worse, it's forbidden.
The effectiveness of electrophoresis in arthrosis has been proven. The affected area is affected by special preparations, 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 bloodstream and spreads throughout the body.
UVT therapy helps in the treatment of arthrosis. This procedure helps to remove inflammation, soften calcium deposits and remove them from the body, reduce swelling. However, this method of physiotherapy has many contraindications, including thrombosis, diabetes mellitus, tumors and purulent processes.
Exposure to ultrasound allows you to anesthetize the affected area, relieve inflammation. Usually, ultrasound treatment is used during the rehabilitation period after surgery.
Surgical intervention
When the drugs are ineffective, which usually occurs in the advanced stages of the disease, the doctor may decide to operate. There are several types of such operations:
- arthroplasty - damaged cartilage is replaced with an artificial substrate, which helps reduce pain and improve mobility;
- prosthetics - the joint is completely removed, and a prosthesis made of a special material is installed in its place, which helps prevent rejection by the body;
- arthroscopy - helps prevent the destruction of the joint, during the operation, areas with inflammatory processes are removed.
If the patient consults the doctor at an early stage of the disease, surgery can be avoided.
Folk remedies
In complex therapy, in addition to drugs, folk remedies are also used to help the patient get rid of unpleasant symptoms.
The following recipes have gained popularity:
- mix an equal amount of calendula inflorescences, birch leaves and nettle leaves, then pour 2 tablespoons of the herbal collection with 1 liter of boiling water and insist overnight, take half a glass 5 times a day;
- mix fresh yolks with turpentine and apple cider vinegar in equal proportions, rub the resulting mixture on the sore spot and wrap it with a woolen scarf, leave it overnight;
- 2 teaspoons of celery juice 3 times a day;
- squeeze the juice from a head of cabbage, soak a woolen cloth in it and put it as a poultice;
- boil oatmeal until a thick porridge is obtained, cool and apply in the form of poultices at night;
- medicinal root of elecampan (25 g) insist in 150 ml of vodka for 12 days, rub at night.
Traditional medicine will not replace drugs, but will be an excellent addition to them.
Basic rules when using traditional medicine
When using folk remedies, you must follow these general rules:
- before using one of the prescriptions, it is mandatory to consult a doctor who, after a detailed examination, can indicate possible complications;
- it is important not only to consult with a specialist, but also to do an allergic reaction test yourself - for this, a small amount of the product is applied to the inside of the joint for 2 hours;
- it is not recommended to exceed the dose, because in this case the risk of side effects increases;
- it is recommended to use fresh infusions and ointments, because those harvested for future use are not suitable for every recipe;
- if side effects occur, the treatment should be stopped and another drug should be chosen.
To protect yourself from complications, you should follow these simple rules.
Special exercises
Therapeutic exercises are provided to prevent weakening of ligaments and muscle atrophy. Gymnastics is chosen individually, depending on the condition of the patient and the course of the disease. This is done by a physical therapist.
Exercises are prohibited during exacerbations, as well as earlier than 6 days after the removal of intense pain. The main task in performing therapeutic exercises is to restore mobility and flexibility.
Non-traditional ways
Non-traditional methods of treating this disease include hirudotherapy, acupuncture and acupuncture.
Leeches are used in hirudotherapy. Despite the fact that this method is not medical, it is quite effective. Leeches are placed at special points corresponding to certain active zones. This helps to increase microcirculation in the tissues, eliminate muscle spasms and reduce swelling. Medicinal leech saliva has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
Acupuncture is based on activating certain points with needles. Sometimes lit wormwood sticks are used instead. The effect is similar to the result of hirudotherapy. Metabolic processes are significantly improved, blood circulation is increased, and the pain syndrome is alleviated.
All the above procedures should be performed only by experts. Otherwise, instead of improvement, there may be a sharp deterioration of the condition.
Masotherapy
The most desirable result of therapeutic massage is the restoration 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 only be performed by a specialist. Sometimes the patient is allowed to perform it on his own, but for this it is necessary to learn these techniques. Before the procedure, the damaged area is warmed up with the usual warm shower or exercise.
One of the types is hydromassage, which is performed by immersion in a warm bath. A full course is up to 20 procedures. It is recommended that they be repeated at least twice a year. If the massage is performed correctly, it is followed by pleasant warmth and relaxation. 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 avoid exacerbations.