Chondroprotectors for arthrosis of the knee joint are the main component in the conservative treatment of this disease. Every year, new drugs appear to combat gonarthrosis, which are superior to previous drugs in properties and speed of action. Here it is important to get your bearings and choose the most suitable medication to get quick and high-quality help for your joints.
Chondroprotectors are drugs created biologically and chemically, designed to strengthen and regenerate intra-articular tissue, promoting its restoration. Thanks to these properties, chondroprotectors for the knee joint are indispensable assistants in treatment; they are prescribed for the treatment of arthrosis, gonarthrosis (arthrosis of the knee joints) and other diseases. The main feature of this group of medications is the therapeutic effect of a cumulative nature, and in order to achieve the first positive results, chondroprotectors must be used in courses.
The duration of treatment depends on the disease, its stage and the condition of the cartilage tissue of the joint. After all, for cartilage to be restored, it is necessary that at least part of it remains intact. If the joint is completely destroyed, then you should not expect a high effect from the drug. Chondroprotectors are prescribed after conducting the necessary examinations of the patient to assess the general condition of his knee joints and the severity of the destructive changes that have occurred.
Chondroprotective drugs are divided into three types, according to their classification, which depends on the beginning of the use of the drug in the practice of orthopedic doctors. These drugs are conventionally divided into generation levels:
The medicinal basis of the drug is the primary factor for the classification of chondroprotectors.
Before deciding which chondroprotectors are best for the treatment of gonarthrosis, you need to know the basic composition of real drugs offered by pharmacies:
When selecting drugs for the treatment of knee arthrosis, you need to approach the choice differentiated, that is, be guided by the fact that a particular stage of the disease requires appropriate treatment. It is necessary to take into account not only the medical effect and components of the drug, but also how the active substance will be delivered to the diseased joint. The following dosage regimen will effectively ensure delivery of the drug to the lesion:
Despite the availability of these medications in free pharmacies, we must not forget that a doctor should prescribe treatment and select the best medication options. Self-medication and self-prescription of medications is unacceptable, even based on positive reviews from advertising and from friends. After all, treatment of gonarthrosis should be combined with the use of painkillers, physical therapy and physiotherapy.
The more severe deformation the tissue in the joint has undergone, the more targeted and invasive the action of the selected drug should be. Doctors, when prescribing chondroprotectors, are guided by the following factors, depending on the effect of the drug on the degree of the disease:
Only a doctor will be able to accurately determine for what reasons the disease arose, what stage it has reached, and which chondroprotectors are best to choose for treatment.
When treating arthrosis of the knee joint, chondroprotectors are always prescribed, because these medications have many advantages for the patient:
The doctor will help you choose the right medications and prescribe the most appropriate treatment regimen to ensure joint recovery and maintain the effect of therapy in the future.
Also, during the treatment period, physical therapy and constant monitoring of the patient’s body weight are indicated, because with a lot of weight, the load on the knee joints increases significantly. To avoid unpleasant consequences, you need to monitor the health of your joints, take the right approach to treatment and choose chondroprotectors.
A healthy knee joint is a well-oiled biological machine in which mechanical movements are carried out through a precise balancing of processes of various natures. One of the leading roles belongs to biochemical processes, in particular, the processes of destruction and synthesis of articular cartilage proceed at the same speed. If for some reason this balance is disturbed, the process of destruction may become the main one. Dystrophic and degenerative processes are observed in the tissues of the cartilage, which is accompanied by severe pain, impaired motor function, and in the future can lead to its destruction and deformation of the joint. This disease is called arthrosis. To treat this condition, substances are needed that can protect and restore destroyed articular cartilage. Such substances exist and are called chondroprotectors. According to statistics, arthrosis most often affects the knee joint. Further in the article we will talk about how chondroprotectors are used for arthrosis of the knee joint.
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The principles underlying the classification of chondroprotectors may be different. The most commonly used division is based on what active substances are used in a given drug.
Preparations can be distinguished based on:
Alexey Kanev, head of the orthopedic surgery department of the Research Institute of Gerontology, will help you learn more about the effects of hyaluronic acid on joints:
Another principle of classification of chondroprotectors is based on the concept of generations of chondroprotectors. Typically there are three generations:
Today, second-generation chondroprotectors for joints are most widely used in medical practice. Their use has some peculiarities. Treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis) with chondroprotectors is most effective at stages 1 or 2 of arthrosis, but if the joint is already deformed or the cartilage is completely destroyed, chondroprotectors will not help. With osteoarthritis of the knee joint, a person consults a doctor in a condition where the knee joint is very painful when walking and at rest, and may swell. At this time, the main task is to relieve the patient of pain as quickly as possible, providing him with an acceptable quality of life. In such a situation, chondroprotectors will not help, because for all their wonderful advantages, the speed of action is not their strong point. In the acute phase of arthrosis, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are often prescribed:
They quickly relieve pain, reduce swelling and reduce inflammation. Their main advantage is that they help quickly. However, this symptomatic effect does not last very long, since they do not affect the process of restoration of cartilage tissue in any way, and they do not treat knee arthrosis. In addition, they have side effects, which include: the possibility of gastrointestinal bleeding, an increased risk of cardiovascular disorders. NSAIDs can even cause cartilage destruction. It is worth mentioning that a new generation of NSAIDs has now appeared, the side effects of which are minimized. Because they do not have a negative effect on cartilage, they are called NSAIDs for joints. These include:
The peculiarity of the action of chondroprotectors is that it takes a long time before the therapeutic effect in osteoarthritis is noticeable, however, it lasts much longer compared to the use of NSAIDs. In addition, the range of contraindications for the use of chondroprotectors is quite narrow. Contraindications include:
Typically, both NSAIDs and chondroprotectors are used in the treatment of knee gonarthrosis. The former quickly relieve acute symptoms, while the latter actually treat knee arthrosis.
Chondroprotectors are available in various forms:
Which form should be chosen, which will be better and more effective, depends on the specific situation. This choice can only be made together with a specialist. For the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint, tablet and powder forms of chondroprotectors are usually prescribed. As already noted, a distinctive feature of chondroprotectors is the need for long-term use. The minimum treatment period is 2-5 months of daily use. Doses of chondroprotectors are prescribed quite large 1000 - 1500 mg of active substance per day, because they are poorly absorbed due to their large size and molecular weight. Similar problems arise when using chondroprotectors in the form of gels and ointments; they do not penetrate the skin well.
Even “advanced” joint problems can be cured at home! Just remember to apply this once a day.
If we are talking about stage 1 of knee arthrosis, the effect can be achieved by taking tablets and using ointments. In stage 2 and especially stage 3 of the disease, tablets and ointments no longer help. The most effective form of treatment for gonarthrosis of the knee joint in this case is injections. In this case, the dose of the active drug is reduced by almost an order of magnitude. The number of injections is 10-20 per course of treatment. This number of injections can cause complications. Usually the course must be repeated 2-3 times a year for 2-5 years. Thus, in order to obtain a lasting positive effect in the treatment of arthrosis with chondroprotectors, it is necessary to be persistent and approach treatment as responsibly as possible, only in this case can one count on stopping the disease and significantly alleviating the condition.
Experts from the medical TV show “About the Most Important Thing” talk about the principles of how the drugs work:
Below are the drugs commonly prescribed for knee gonarthrosis. These drugs have proven themselves well and are trusted by doctors and patients. Let's consider the country of manufacture, release form and active ingredient of each of them.
Which drug is better? The question posed this way has no answer. There is no best chondroprotector for the treatment of knee arthrosis, it all depends on the specific situation. The best drug can only be for a given patient in his specific situation. This must be remembered and be sure to consult with a specialist when choosing a medicine.
A few words about third generation chondrorotectors. It should be noted that there is no clear generally accepted classification of which chondroprotectors should be classified as a new generation. Chondroprotectors for joints of the new generation are drugs that have successfully overcome the disadvantages inherent in drugs of previous generations. They allow you to obtain a therapeutic effect much faster, have virtually no side effects, have few contraindications and are very highly effective due to their effect on various joint structures.
You can highlight useful information on the topic of treatment from neurologist Mikhail Moiseevich Shperling:
Even if treatment was started at an early stage of arthrosis, if the drugs are taken regularly, it is impossible to expect a lasting effect if the causes of the disease are not identified and eliminated. In addition, you should not rely on drug treatment alone. Treatment must be comprehensive. First of all, it is necessary to reduce the load on the knee joint affected by arthrosis and give it enough time to rest. This is especially true for patients with excess body weight, which leads to a large additional load on the knee joint. In this case, diet is the most important part of the healing process.
Reducing the load in no case means complete immobility, otherwise blood circulation in the joint will be disrupted, which will lead to a slowdown in metabolism. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain and perform a set of exercises recommended for arthrosis to improve blood circulation in the diseased joint, this is what will allow the active substances to flow in the required quantities to the affected area of the knee joint. Massage and physiotherapy are used for the same purpose. Hypothermia is very harmful for arthrosis of any joint; it can negate all efforts to combat the disease, so the requirement to keep the joint warm must be approached with the utmost scrupulousness. If there are inflammatory processes in the body, they must be treated in a timely manner, because they can ultimately provoke arthrosis.
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One of the disadvantages of using chondroprotectors for the treatment of joint arthrosis is their rather high cost. Moreover, the number of chondroprotectors offered is so large that it is quite possible to find an acceptable option for everyone. Naturally, the most expensive are the new generation combined chondroprotectors; the price here is expressed in thousands of rubles. The price for drugs for injection into the joint is approximately the same.
The most effective in this group are preparations based on hyaluronic acid; usually 3-5 injections per course of treatment are sufficient. However, the prices of these drugs are the highest, and they cannot be used if there is inflammation in the joint. Monopreparations usually have a significantly lower cost; you can find chondroprotectors at a price of 250–400 rubles per month of use. To select a medicine that is sufficiently effective and affordable, you need to consult your doctor. In some cases, for example, to increase efficiency, two single drugs are prescribed together. This is significantly cheaper than using a combination drug. The main thing is not to replace and combine drugs yourself; this can only be done by a specialist.
I would like to draw special attention to the fact that the article dealt only with dosage forms of chondroprotectors. Dietary supplements containing chondroprotectors were not considered. They cannot be considered full-fledged medicines, since their therapeutic effect has not been confirmed by relevant studies and clinical trials.
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Pharmaceutical science and industry are constantly creating new, more effective chondroprotectors for the treatment of joint arthrosis, but they are not a panacea. First of all, in order to restore and maintain a healthy knee joint, you must not miss the initial stage of the disease, get advice from an experienced specialist and strictly follow his recommendations. In this case, the likelihood that the disease can be defeated or long-term remission achieved is especially high.
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Chondroprotectors for arthrosis of the knee joint are precisely such medications that are designed to affect the structure and function of the joint. Arthrosis occupies a leading position among joint pathologies. These are socially significant diseases, as they often lead to loss of ability to work and disability. Scientists believe that arthrosis begins with destructive changes in cartilage and bone tissues, so the main scientific research is aimed at finding drugs that can stop the progression of processes or restore existing damage.
Chondroprotectors are a group of drugs used to protect and restore the structure of joint cartilage tissue. The mechanism of action is based on stimulation of metabolic processes and growth in tissue, restoration of cartilage. Not only scientists, but also doctors are currently arguing about the effectiveness of using joint pathologies in the treatment of joint pathologies. There are diametrically opposed opinions - one group considers their use in the treatment of arthrosis completely useless, the other - a miracle remedy. And both camps argue their point of view. This division of opinions is due to the structural features of the joint and the structure of cartilage tissue.
Cartilage tissue does not contain blood vessels; the blood supply to the joint is carried out by a network of small branches of arteries passing near the joint. Therefore, transport of agents into cartilage tissue is difficult. A natural problem arises with the selection of medications that could affect the condition of the tissues inside the joint. Scientists have created a type of drug that stimulates nutrition and regeneration of cartilage, affecting growth and recovery areas. But this process is long, so many patients, not receiving an immediate effect, talk about the uselessness of chondroprotectors.
Scientists explained early studies of the mechanism of action of chondroprotectors by the fact that they supply the joint with the missing substances for synthesis processes (glucosamine) or blocking the function of enzymes that destroy cartilage tissue (chondroitin sulfate). The substances that make up chondroprotectors are identical to endogenous ones. They slowly “integrate” into the tissue structure, affect chondrocytes, stimulate the synthesis of synovial fluid, and start the process of cartilage restoration.
In addition to increasing the anabolic activity of tissue cells, chondroprotectors reduce the pathogenic effect of inflammatory agents on cartilage. This explained the protective and analgesic properties of the drugs.
The modern theory of the mechanism of action states that these drugs influence the course of the inflammatory process. Chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine have different effects on three inflammatory factors:
It is believed that the anti-inflammatory properties of chondroitin sulfate can be explained by its effect on receptors located on the outside of the cytomembrane.
Glucosamine is able to change the activity of proteins in cartilage tissue.
Drugs from the group of chondroprotectors are usually classified according to the active substance and the time of their introduction into practical medicine. For example, chondroprotectors are divided into 3 generations:
Of the first generation drugs, today only Alflutop (a combined drug based on a bioactive concentrate from marine fish, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin and proteoglycans) continues to be used for the treatment of arthrosis of various localizations. There are no analogues of the drug with the same composition. The medicine Rumalon was also created on a natural basis from cartilage tissue and bone marrow of calves.
Treatment of arthrosis is still a difficult task, however, the substances included in the second generation drugs have the following effects on the joint:
Today, doctors recommend the use of complex drugs of a new generation, as they are more effective, less aggressive and have fewer side effects. This generation of chondroprotectors includes the following complexes:
Some scientists call fourth-generation drugs - complexes that, in addition to chondroprotective substances, include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory substances. Such drugs are Advance, Movex Active, Teraflex or mucopolysaccharide drugs - Arteparon.
Only a doctor can decide which chondroprotectors can effectively cope with joint arthrosis. Some patients, having read rave reviews about the effectiveness of chondroprotectors, self-medicate. But, like any medications, chondroprotectors require monitoring, precise dosage and the development of an individual dosage regimen. Moreover, the drugs are produced in different pharmacological forms, the use of which requires professional knowledge.
The result of therapy for gonarthrosis of the knee joint or coxarthrosis of the hip joint depends not only on the composition of the drug, but also on the method of delivering the active substance to the lesion. Different forms of release of chondroprotectors have different effects on the cause of the pathological process:
Chondroprotectors for coxarthrosis of the hip joint or gonarthrosis are prescribed in the form that best suits the stage of the disease.
The further the destructive-degenerative processes have gone, the closer to the source the medicine should be administered.
At the initial stage of the pathological process, medications for oral and topical use help well. At the second stage of progression, tablet forms and intramuscular injections are combined, since external drugs no longer help.
The third stage is accompanied by progressive degradation of cartilage and bone tissue, therefore it is recommended to combine intramuscular and intra-articular injections.
If the cartilage is completely destroyed and the joint is immobile, it is better not to prescribe treatment with chondroprotectors, since its effectiveness is minimal.
Chondroprotectors for external use have the lowest effectiveness. The penetration ability of active substances through the skin and periarticular soft tissues is low and amounts to less than 20%. To improve the treatment result, local medications and physiotherapy procedures are combined, for example electrophoresis, which increases tissue permeability. Preparations with the addition of transport substances have been developed. The introduction of titanium hydrocomplex into the complex preparation Gialgel made it possible to increase the depth of penetration of active substances when applying the gel externally to the knee to 8 cm.
The next most effective is the oral form. A little more than 30% is absorbed into the systemic circulation, partially metabolized or bound by blood proteins. Due to the fact that cartilage tissue does not have its own blood supply, drugs in tablets, capsules and powders are effective only with long-term use. Efficiency increases with complex therapy using chondroprotectors in various forms.
The effectiveness of drugs, if the injection is given into the muscles, depends on the size of the molecule of the substance. This affects the substances’ penetration of the blood barrier. Therefore, the treatment result will be better when the drug is administered directly into the joint.
Various treatment results are observed when combining intramuscular and intra-articular administration of drugs in the treatment of arthrosis. According to the results of clinical studies conducted on a large sample of patients with pathology from 3 to 10 years, intramuscular injection of the chondroprotector gave a positive effect in 76% of patients, intra-articular - in 80%, and with complex administration - intramuscular and intra-articular - up to 86 - 92%. General administration increased not only the chondroprotective properties of the drug, but also the anti-inflammatory ones.
The best chondroprotectors for arthrosis of the knee include “liquid prostheses” that are injected directly into the joint. Research carried out at the University. Pirogov and the Research Institute of Rheumatology named after. Nasonova confirmed the effectiveness of treating knee gonarthrosis with the drug Synvisc. Improvement was noted after the first injection of the drug. After 21 days of treatment, a noticeable improvement in the condition of the joint was noted in 59% of patients, and pain disappeared in 87% of patients. These indicators remained the same one year after the course of treatment. Moreover, the result did not depend on the degree of the disease and the age of the patients. The use of intra-articular injections can significantly reduce the use of NSAIDs.
Chondroprotectors are a relatively new group of drugs that have been used in the treatment of arthrosis for 15 years. Therefore, in such a short period of time, the evidence base for the effectiveness of chondroprotectors has not been accumulated in sufficient quantities. That is why the opinions of experts differ so diametrically.
Improvements in formulas and production technology have made it possible to create a new generation of drugs that are strikingly different in their properties from the first generation of drugs.
Such rapid progress in the field of creating chondroprotectors and developing schemes for their use allows us to hope that soon the treatment of arthrosis will not be as difficult as it is now.
When choosing a product, you should consult your doctor. Experts advise that you first study all possible information about chondroprotectors, but leave the choice of the drug itself to your doctor. They insist that the results of scientific experiments and the practical use of drugs may vary. Therefore, even if you have information about research, you should not prescribe treatment for yourself. This applies to preparations for external use and tablets. A patient who takes these forms on his own may skip the initial stage of the disease, at which adequate therapy leads to the most impressive results.
During the research, it was established that chondroprotectors for arthrosis have a beneficial effect on articular cartilage and significantly reduce pain in patients who suffer from this serious illness.
This process occurs as a result of the fact that drugs in this group increase the production of synovial fluid and increase the secretion of hyaluronic acid.
Let's take a closer look at their action.
At the present stage, two groups of drugs are used for conservative therapeutic treatment of arthrosis: chondroprotectors and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
The principle of action of chondroprotectors is based on the fact that they restore and nourish cartilage tissue, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs anesthetize, reduce swelling and relieve inflammation.
The effect of taking an anti-inflammatory drug is noticeable within a few minutes, but lasts only a few hours. The result of taking a chondroprotector will appear much later - after several weeks or months - but the drug will also act much longer.
By themselves, they do not cause side effects, and if two groups of drugs are prescribed in combination, then most patients experience noticeable relief.
Chondroprotectors are suitable for almost everyone, but we must not forget about contraindications:
The most useful medications of all that are produced for the treatment of arthrosis are considered to be chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine, which directly affect the root cause of the disease and help restore the cartilaginous surfaces of the diseased joint.
Available in various forms:
The choice should be approached with great caution, since there are many drugs on the pharmacological market, but not all of them can be trusted with your health.
Some unscrupulous manufacturers produce a product that is either not beneficial or even harmful. In addition, each person has his own individual characteristics of the body.
Therefore, when choosing a drug, consultation with a doctor is mandatory.
In unfair advertising of drugs, you can hear that chondroprotectors can easily restore cartilage and make it healthy.
In fact, when using chondroprotectors, it is important to make efforts to ensure that the active substances of the drug enter the affected joint. But simply drinking a few capsules of the drug a day will not help improve the condition of cartilage.
So, it is necessary to ensure increased blood circulation in the problem joint, that is, massage, physical therapy, and physiotherapy.
These activities significantly increase the likelihood that chondroitin and glucosamine will enter the joint tissue and improve the quality of cartilage.
Effective treatment of arthrosis with chondroprotectors is possible only in the first stages of the disease, and when the joint is already completely destroyed, it is no longer possible to restore the original shape of the deformed bones or grow new cartilage.
Even at stages I or II of the disease, chondroprotectors will act very slowly and will not immediately bring obvious relief.
The best therapeutic effect is with long-term use in combination with other methods of therapy.
In addition, you should know that a combination drug containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate is much more effective than a single drug.
Preparations based on glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate have practically no contraindications, but it is better not to use them for persons with hypersensitivity to these components, as well as for people suffering from phenylketonuria.
The group of drugs belonging to dietary supplements, which contain chondroprotectors, is not considered a full-fledged medicine - most dietary supplements have not undergone the necessary studies, their clinical effectiveness is questionable.
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Experts offer a list of chondroprotectors for arthrosis of the knee joint, the drugs in which are time-tested:
Chondroprotectors should be taken daily for 3-5 months, the course should be repeated every six months for two to three years, depending on the stage of the disease.
With adequate, competent and timely therapy, it is possible to stop the disease if it is in the first or second stage and significantly alleviate the patient’s condition.
But, unfortunately, it is impossible to say with certainty that arthrosis of the knee joint is completely curable at the present stage.
This is a chronic disease that cannot be completely cured.
Today there are many ways to treat coxarthrosis - arthrosis of the hip joint.
In the treatment regimen for coxarthrosis, it is chondroprotectors that provide the maximum benefit, which cannot be said about other drugs, the effect of which is rather concomitant.
The list of chondroprotectors that can be used in the treatment of arthrosis of the hip joint (coxarthrosis) is quite extensive:
Today, only chondroprotective drugs give convincing results in the treatment of arthrosis of the hip joint:
They are well tolerated and extremely rarely cause side effects despite the fact that they are designed for long-term use.
These drugs can be used as prophylactics for people who are predisposed to coxarthrosis.
With arthrosis of the shoulder joint, pathological changes develop not only in the cartilage, but also in the bone tissue of the joint.
This type of arthrosis is somewhat less common than others.
At the initial stage of the disease, the use of chondroprotectors is of great importance.
The following drugs have proven themselves well:
At the present stage, experts recommend using chondroprotectors and dietary supplements not only in the treatment of arthrosis, but also for the prevention of diseases of the osteochondral system.
In the final stages of the disease, chondroprotectors delay surgical intervention by strengthening cartilage tissue.
Arthrosis affecting the hands is one of the most common diseases.
It has a very negative impact on a person’s life, making it difficult for him to do the simplest things.
With arthrosis of the joints of the hands, cartilage tissue cracks and breaks down, which leads to deformation and decreased mobility of the joints.
These processes are accompanied by pain in the fingers and hands, which becomes stronger during the day and subsides a little at night.
Treatment of arthrosis of the hands is basically similar to the treatment of other types of osteoarthrosis.
It should be comprehensive, regular and with the mandatory use of chondoprotectors, such as:
During treatment, you can widely use chondoprotective gels and ointments, applying elastic bandages to the hands, and wristbands that fix the position of the affected joint.
It is imperative to reduce the load on sore fingers and hands. Normalization of nutrition and compliance with dietary standards is very important.
An additional therapeutic effect is achieved using physiotherapy methods (electrophoresis, magnetotherapy and others).
Osteoarthritis of the facet joints of the spine is sometimes called spondyloarthrosis or facet arthropathy.
Statistics show that 40% of all chronic back pain is due to some degree of facet arthropathy.
Treatment of spinal arthrosis must be read in the early stages.
Spondyloarthrosis develops over years, but, unfortunately, people usually visit a doctor only when the disease has already reached the 2nd or even 3rd stage of development.
The treatment is based on the principle of complex therapy:
A conservative approach in the early stages involves taking pills and injections, which are prescribed for acute pain:
Unlike these drugs, chondroprotectors do not help quickly relieve pain, but the main purpose of these drugs is not pain relief, but the protection of intervertebral discs and nutrition of cartilage tissue with necessary substances.
Experts recommend that for arthrosis of the facet joints of the spine, it is imperative to take medications, which include:
Only a doctor can indicate the exact name of the chondroprotective drug that is needed for each specific patient.
Self-prescribing medications for treating the spine is fraught with dire consequences!
Arthrosis of the ankle joint often occurs in obese people or those who have weak ligaments.
This ligament weakness leads to subluxation of the ankle joint when walking. Following a twisted leg, traumatic swelling of the joint occurs, which, with gentle treatment, goes away safely in a couple of weeks.
People with weak ligaments are susceptible to repeated subluxations, and this leads to arthrosis, since the structure of the cartilage in the joint is damaged.
The course of treatment for arthrosis of the ankle joint should be prescribed only by a doctor and may include the following chondroprotectors:
For treatment to be most effective, it is important to follow your doctor's recommendations.
Sometimes a doctor may prescribe several dosage forms of a chondroprotector at once - for example, injections can be combined with ointments or taking tablets.
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Many chondroprotective drugs are quite expensive - for a month the cost of a course is 1500-3000 rubles.
You can reduce the cost of treatment by using separately produced components, such as Glucosamine and Chondroitin, the cost of their packaging is about 300 rubles.
Despite the fact that you can find a variety of types in pharmacies, when purchasing them, first of all, you need to focus not on the price, but on the recommendations of the attending physician.
If you have to save money, then this aspect also needs to be discussed with the doctor, asking him (if possible) to prescribe an effective and inexpensive treatment.
Reviews from doctors and patients about chondroprotectors are mixed.
Those who speak well of chondroprotectors say that:
But you can also find reviews of a similar nature:
If you carefully analyze such statements, it becomes clear that bad reviews are a consequence of the fact that the regimen for taking the drug did not comply with the recommendations of the attending physician.
So, the course could be too short for this drug, or additional measures that are necessary to increase blood circulation in the affected joints were not used.
Some doctors are of the opinion that the possibility of cartilage restoration is negligible, and in any case we cannot talk about complete healing, but it is possible and necessary to strive to slow down the processes of destruction in the musculoskeletal system.
The main thing is not to self-medicate. Any chondroprotective drugs must be prescribed by a professional.
This is due to the fact that, despite the similar composition, the drugs can differ significantly from each other in the purity of the components and the reputation of the manufacturers.
It is better to take drugs that have undergone serious clinical trials at a high international level.
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