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Arthrosis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis) is a chronic progressive disease of the knee joint, which leads to deformation with subsequent destruction of cartilage tissue. The disease is accompanied by pain and limited mobility. It is better to treat gonarthrosis at the first signs of the disease.
Articular cartilage in normal conditions and with arthrosis
Symptomatic manifestations of gonarthrosis:
Treatment of gonarthrosis should be comprehensive, taking into account the stage of development of the disease and includes:
Chondroprotectors include drugs that improve the metabolism and blood circulation of cartilage tissue. They contain biologically active substances from animal cartilage tissue (chondroitin sulfate, peptides, proteoglycans, chondrocides, amino acids, bone marrow cells). They stimulate the synthesis of their own proteoglycans, increase the synthesis of hyaluronic acid, inhibit the death of chondrocytes, improve the composition of synovial fluid, and suppress inflammatory enzymes.
Chondroprotectors are produced in the form of tablets, intramuscular, subcutaneous or intra-articular injections.
Chondroprotectors protect cartilage from destruction
This group includes “Riboxin”, “ATP”, “Phosphaden”, B vitamins, potassium orotate, anabolic steroids. They improve metabolic processes in the body and thus improve the nutrition of cartilage. Their independent use does not give a pronounced effect, but in combination there is a positive result.
The joint needs to be treated comprehensively.
Antiplatelet agents are used to improve the rheological properties of blood, thus improving microcirculation in cartilage tissues. Most often on the prescription list you will find “Dipyridamole”, “Pentoxifylline”, “Xanthinol nicotinate” and their analogues.
Using antioxidant therapy, it is possible to stop lipid peroxidation, reducing destructive damage by free radicals, that is, influencing one of the pathways of damage to cartilage tissue. Vitamin E (tocopherol acetate), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin A (retinol) and zinc have antioxidant properties.
It is better to choose a complex multivitamin with minerals.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a large group of drugs that have an anti-inflammatory effect on affected tissues. Treatment with NSAIDs leads to a decrease in the destruction of bone and cartilage tissue. The course of taking these drugs is 5-7 days, but may vary depending on the stage and course of the disease. Drugs in this group are prescribed for severe pain syndrome, as well as for synovitis.
During long-term use of NSAIDs, gastritis and gastric ulcers may worsen. If you have a history of gastrointestinal diseases, you should tell your doctor about this in order to prevent their exacerbation.
Treatment using physiotherapy is a basic method, since it improves the metabolism of cartilage, slows down destructive processes, has a positive effect on the quality and quantity of joint fluid, and improves the repair of bone and cartilage tissue. In addition, physiotherapy is good at relieving pain and reflex spasms of muscle tissue.
Stage 2 gonarthrosis should be treated using :
Physiotherapy is contraindicated in patients with concomitant angina, manifestations of synovitis, grade 2-3 hypertension, and neurocirculatory dystonia.
Therapeutic massage for gonarthrosis
Using massage techniques, you can strengthen muscle tissue, improve venous outflow, relieve muscle spasms and reduce high nervous excitability.
Local barotherapy is prescribed if treatment with medications and physiotherapy does not bring a good effect. Improved microcirculation in the affected joint is caused by an increase in blood flow due to the opening of non-functioning capillaries. This creates a zone with high metabolic and functional activity.
Contraindications for barotherapy include cancer, varicose veins of the extremities and cardiac arrhythmias.
To relieve symptoms of synovitis and relieve pain due to arthrosis, you can use lotions, applications or ointments with dimexide, analgin, novocaine, camphor.
Physical therapy is prescribed by a rehabilitation specialist, taking into account the stage of the disease and existing functional limitations. The task of exercise therapy is to restore dysfunction and improve microcirculation of cartilage tissue. Gymnastics should be gentle on the knee joints, alternating active and passive movements and contribute to the development of contracture.
To unload your joints, it is better to do gymnastics in the pool.
Changes that occur in the joint during arthrosis
For arthrosis, intra-articular administration of drugs is used to reduce the activity of inflammatory and degenerative processes. The medications used contain protease inhibitors, hormones, NSAIDs, hyaluronic acid, artificial synovial fluid.
With deforming osteoarthritis, there are qualitative and quantitative changes in the own synovial fluid. It does not perform tread or shock-absorbing functions. Therefore, it is better to treat synovitis with intra-articular injection of artificial “lubricant”.
Arthrosis of the knee joint 2 degrees requires an integrated and comprehensive approach. Treatment methods should be selected by a doctor, taking into account the course of the disease and the individual characteristics of the body.
Discomfort, pain, crunching in the knee - these symptoms may be a sign of developing arthrosis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis). In this disease, the cartilage lining the articular surfaces of bones becomes thin, cracked, or simply worn out, causing the joint to not function properly.
The development of arthrosis is based on degenerative processes, not inflammatory ones, unlike arthritis, although quite often it is inflammation that becomes the trigger for subsequent destruction of cartilage.
There are five groups of causes for the development of this disease:
There are three degrees of active development of this disease. Each of them has its own clinical picture. The fourth stage (ankylosis) is complete immobility of the joint.
First degree So, with gonarthrosis of the 1st degree, the appearance of pain and discomfort in the knee after long walking or physical work is typical. After rest, these symptoms usually disappear. Degenerative changes in the cartilage at this stage are still insignificant, so during an X-ray examination of the knee, doctors detect only a slight narrowing of the joint space. Second degree This is the height of arthrosis in the knee joint, in which severe pain and stiffness of movement occur regardless of physical activity. These symptoms do not improve with rest. The patient begins to spare the joint, which gradually leads to atrophy of the muscles of the lower limb. X-rays at this stage reveal obvious signs of arthrosis - areas of cartilage destruction, bone growths, joint deformation, and even greater narrowing of the joint space. Third degree At stage 3 of the disease, any movement in the joint is accompanied by intense pain. The patient has to take a forced position and use crutches to move, because at the reflex level he simply cannot step normally on the sore leg. Visually, a violation of the limb axis and severe deformation of the joint become noticeable.
Fourth degree This is the extreme degree of development of this pathology, called ankylosis, that is, fusion of the articular surfaces and complete immobilization of the joint.
In the initial stages of this disease, conservative treatment is used predominantly. It includes drug therapy, physical therapy, and physiotherapy.
Drug treatment for arthrosis of the knee joint is aimed primarily at eliminating pain (the patient is prescribed various painkillers).
Next, the restoration of cartilage tissue is stimulated. For this purpose, drugs are prescribed that improve microcirculation, as well as specific products containing chondroitin and glucosamine. Such medications are used not only in the form of tablets and ointments, but also in the form of intra-articular injections. Treatment of gonarthrosis with chondroprotectors usually lasts at least a year.
Therapeutic exercises for gonarthrosis are based on the principle of dosed loading, that is, the doctor suggests that the patient perform movements that do not injure the cartilage, do not load the joint, but help improve the nutrition of the cartilage tissue and, accordingly, its speedy and more effective recovery.
At grade 2, treating arthrosis of the knee joint with conservative methods alone is not enough, so patients undergo minimally invasive surgery using optical technology. During such interventions, fragments of damaged cartilage and bone growths are removed, that is, everything is done to improve joint mobility.
In stage 3 gonarthrosis, it is impossible to restore movement in the joint without a full-fledged operation; such patients are advised to replace the articular surfaces with special prostheses.
Excess weight plays a significant role in the development of this pathology, so its normalization is a primary preventive measure. Also, we must not forget about physical activity: it is recommended to walk 5-7 km daily.
In addition, it is worth taking care of a varied diet. It should contain sufficient amounts of protein, calcium and healthy fats. That is, the diet should contain low-fat fermented milk products, lean meat, fish, vegetable oils, and gelatin-based dishes.
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint is a disease in which the cartilage of the articular surfaces is destroyed, and the joint itself is deformed, its functions are impaired.
It should be noted that this is a rather serious disease, and delaying treatment is very dangerous. At the last stage, the cartilage is completely destroyed, the underlying bone is exposed, and the tissues surrounding the joint become inflamed. All this can lead to complete immobility of diseased joints, and, as a result, disability.
The picture shows examples of joints affected by arthrosis. The right side shows deformation in the initial stage of the disease, and the left side shows second degree joint damage.
Deforming signs at the first stage of the disease are insignificant and are represented on an x-ray by a slight narrowing of the joint space.
At this stage, only the cartilage changes. Its elasticity is lost and small cracks appear on the surface.
The patient experiences the following symptoms:
At the first stage, the disease does not manifest itself too much, so patients often ignore alarm bells and develop arthrosis. Arthrosis of the first degree develops over a long period of time and gradually.
At an early stage, pain, as a rule, is temporary and first appears mainly in the morning when starting to move, as well as throughout the day when resuming stress on the legs after rest. As you walk, the joint develops and the pain gradually goes away. Unpleasant sensations can sometimes bother you when going up or down stairs or walking for a long time.
An additional symptom that you should definitely pay attention to is a crunching sound when bending and straightening the knee.
For an experienced specialist, diagnosing arthrosis of the first degree will not be difficult even without an x-ray examination, based on the symptoms described by the patient and through examination.
To confirm the diagnosis, X-ray diagnostics are usually performed, after which a narrowing of the joint space is revealed in the image.
Treatment is aimed at:
Arthrosis can be treated at this stage with medications to relieve pain and restore cartilage, as well as exercise therapy and massage.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are usually prescribed to relieve pain. The following have proven themselves very well in this field:
To normalize cartilage, drugs are used that are made from the same substances that make up articular cartilage. These include:
It should be noted that these drugs can cope with the disease only at the initial stage.
At the second stage of the disease, deforming signs appear more significantly. The cartilage becomes thinner, and in some places it is completely destroyed. Growths form on the articular surfaces.
At this stage of arthrosis, the following symptoms appear:
In this case, the pain symptom is characteristically different from the initial stage of arthrosis. If pain immediately appeared only at the beginning of loads on the legs after rest, which gradually disappeared during walking, then the second stage is characterized by the appearance of unpleasant sensations after the loads. Such sensations last longer and pass only after some time has passed in complete peace.
If at the beginning of the disease only the cartilage is affected, then at this stage the deforming processes already affect the joint itself.
On an x-ray, the deforming processes of the disease are manifested by marginal growths and significant narrowing of the cartilage tissue.
It should be noted that disability is usually assigned at the third stage of the disease. However, if arthrosis at the second stage has led to limited life activity, the patient may also be assigned a disability. By the way, the disability group does not depend on the degree of pain, but on the degree of limitation of the ability to move and self-care.
It is more difficult to treat the disease at this stage, but it is still quite possible to achieve a complete recovery.
The first immediate action should be to reduce the load on the affected leg. This is achieved by reducing body weight, if it is excess, as well as by using supports that will help you walk (for example, a cane, a stick).
In addition, a complex of exercise therapy is selected for patients to strengthen the leg muscles.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to relieve pain. Chondroitin sulfate, arthra, and glucosamine will help treat articular cartilage. If the disease is advanced, the patient can also be treated with intravenous injections of hyaluronic acid. In the absence of inflammation, the patient is prescribed physiotherapeutic procedures:
As we have already noted, despite the fact that arthrosis develops slowly and over a long period of time, it is a very serious disease that, without proper treatment, can lead to disability.
Physiotherapeutic procedures are very effective in the fight against arthrosis. They will help the patient return to normal life, prevent progression of the disease and disability
Often, patellofemoral syndrome is a precursor to arthrosis. Patellofemoral syndrome is manifested by stiffness in the kneecap, pain in the front side of the joint, which intensifies during loads on the leg.
Patellofemoral syndrome occurs between the surface of the patella joint and the adjacent part of the thigh.
As a therapy for patellofemoral syndrome, it is recommended to reduce the load on the sore leg; in case of severe pain, you can use ice or undergo a special complex of physical therapy.
In case of severe pain with patellofemoral syndrome, the patient is given an injection consisting of an anesthetic and glucocorticosteroids.
If the pain associated with patellofemoral syndrome does not go away for a long time, chondoprotectors may be prescribed as treatment.
Patellofemoral syndrome is diagnosed clinically and does not require laboratory tests
For people who are overweight and suffer from arthrosis, diet and exercise therapy are recommended. By losing a few kilograms, the patient will significantly reduce the load on sore joints.
Diet, healthy and proper nutrition cannot cure arthrosis, but they are a very important factor that will provide the body with useful substances and will certainly accompany recovery.
The basic principles of diet and nutrition for arthrosis are:
You should adhere to the basic principle of the diet - do not starve. Food should be rich in vitamins and beneficial minerals
Deforming arthrosis of the knee joint in medicine is also called gonarthrosis; this disease is a degenerative-dystrophic disease.
The disease develops over a long period of time and develops as a result of constant stress on the knee joint. The disease is more common in women than in men (approximately 2 times).
The first symptoms indicating the development of gonarthrosis are pain in the knee during long walking, while descending stairs, lifting and carrying heavy objects. Such pain tends to worsen in cold and damp weather. Over time, the discomfort increases and becomes permanent.
Arthrosis deformans is a disease associated with degenerative-dystrophic changes in cartilage tissue. In the medical literature it goes by the following names: deforming osteoarthritis, gonarthrosis.
The process can occur independently (primary defarthrosis), or it can be provoked by other diseases (secondary defarthrosis). Treatment of deforming arthrosis of the knee joint of any form is a complex and lengthy process, requiring patience from the patient and strict adherence to medical instructions. But before we examine the healing methods in detail, let's look at the reasons that lead to the occurrence of this complex pathology.
What it is? Like many diseases, osteoarthritis has its starting points, or triggers, due to which it begins to develop. Why does deforming arthrosis of the knee joint occur? The reasons leading to its development are the following:
The causes of arthrosis deformans can be different and can be both hereditary and acquired. Today, the development of pathology threatens almost every seventh person who has reached old age.
Based on the severity of clinical symptoms and the degree of dysfunction, the following stages of arthrosis of the knee joint are distinguished:
Typical signs of the disease include:
When discussing how to cure arthrosis of the knee joint, they often talk about the importance of timely diagnosis of the problem.
Thus, all experts agree that it is much easier to stop the development of the disease if it was identified at the 1st or 2nd stage of development, but if this disease is diagnosed late, it is quite difficult to achieve any significant results in treatment. But the main problem is that in the early stages the disease manifests itself only slightly, so people often simply ignore such signs.
Symptoms of deforming arthrosis are the occurrence of pain in the joints when walking and the appearance of a crunching sound when moving. External deformation of the joints develops with a long course of the disease. Inflammation of the periarticular tissues is manifested by 5 classic signs: swelling, pain, redness, increased skin temperature, and limited mobility of the knee joint.
In the initial period of arthrosis development, pain is “mechanical in nature.” This means that the pain appears or intensifies mainly in the evening, especially after physical activity. In the morning, after a night's rest, the painful sensations decrease or disappear.
Over time, the intensity of the pain gradually increases, the pain does not stop after a night's rest. The appearance of the symptom of “morning stiffness” characterizes the addition of inflammation of the internal (synovial) lining of the knee joint. A sore joint may experience crunching and cracking noises when moving. Due to severe pain, a protective muscle spasm develops, which further limits movement in the affected joints, up to the development of persistent stiffness (contracture).
Unfortunately, you cannot protect yourself from post-traumatic arthrosis, just as you cannot predict injuries. However, acquired gonoarthrosis can be avoided.
Prevention is always easier than cure. To prevent knee problems, you need to:
If the diagnosis of gonoarthrosis is confirmed by doctors, the most important thing is not to let the disease progress. Otherwise, it may lead to disability.
It is necessary to start treatment at the first signs of the disease. By eliminating its cause, it is possible to eliminate the inflammatory changes, after which there is a possibility of restoring the lost function of the diseased joint.
Moreover, it is worth considering that complex treatment is necessary for deforming arthrosis. At the initial stage of the disease - conservative treatment, aimed primarily at reducing pain and stopping the source of inflammation.
In addition, therapy for the disease should be aimed at reducing morning stiffness and increasing joint mobility, preventing and eliminating disorders in joint function, normalizing the metabolic processes of affected tissues, and slowing down further progression of the disease. In more serious cases, surgery is used.
The main methods of treating deforming arthrosis of the knee joint include:
Treatment tactics depend on the degree of development of arthrosis. Most often, a combined approach is used, based on several techniques.
Remember that ignoring the recommendations of the attending physician is the main reason for the development of the disease and often leads to the patient’s disability.
Deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint requires the patient to follow a special diet. It is aimed both at reducing excess weight, if present, and at improving the nutrition of cartilage tissue. It is necessary to reduce the amount of calories consumed, eat less flour and sweets. It has been observed that with weight loss, the symptoms of the disease decrease.
To maintain cartilage in working form, you need to consume more proteins, vitamins and minerals. For such patients, periodic consumption of jelly will be useful, since it is rich in collagen, which is an essential component of cartilage tissue.
With the help of an integrated approach, it is possible to achieve improvements in well-being, even if bilateral deforming arthrosis of the knee joints is diagnosed.
Competently and most importantly, timely prescribed treatment is the key to preventing patient disability.
To maintain the functionality of joints, it is necessary to perform a set of physical exercises aimed at strengthening the peri-cartilaginous muscles and ligaments. Class time should be 30-40 minutes a day, and this time should be divided into several segments of 10-15 minutes. When performing exercises, a balance must be maintained between the state of rest and the time of stress on the joints.
Many people need to rest joints affected by arthrosis every 4-5 hours, this is necessary for the regeneration of joint cartilage. Perform the exercises smoothly, increasing the range of movements gradually. When doing exercises, focus on the sore joint, imagine how blood flows to the knee and the joint is restored.
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint of the 3rd degree occurs if the cartilage tissue is deformed and destroyed, resulting in severe pain. The disease is dangerous because it leads to a degenerative process, the joint stops moving and loses functionality. Often observed in women after 40 years of age. One of the reasons is varicose veins and excess weight. In young people, arthrosis is triggered by injury resulting from a sports injury or other physical activity.
With grade 3 arthrosis of the knee joint, cartilage tissue may be affected. It becomes thin, a large number of cracks and delaminations form on it. If the disease is not treated in time, the cartilage can be completely destroyed, leaving the bone exposed.
1. Trauma – dislocation, fracture, menisci are severely damaged. As a result of injury, gonarthrosis may develop. If the knee joint is damaged, extension and flexion movements are impaired. During treatment, the limb must be fixed; this must be done extremely carefully, because this may cause a disturbance in the blood circulation. As a result, post-traumatic arthrosis in the knees will begin to develop.
2. Increased load on the knee joint. When playing sports, it is necessary to take into account the age of the patient. Often older people exercise at the same level as younger people. As a result, microtraumas occur. With them, symptoms may not be observed, but the joints are very seriously affected. Therefore, a person over the age of 40 should be exposed to only moderate stress. Older people cannot train as well as young people do, because with age, cartilage tissue can become thinner and wear out. It is important that the movements are smooth. Squatting and running harm your knees; you need to give up some physical activity.
3. Due to obesity, excess weight. The cartilage tissue of the joints is not damaged due to obesity, but the menisci may be injured. It is very difficult for people because the knee joint cannot fully recover from the disease. Injury to the meniscus leads to the development of arthrosis in the knee joint. It is especially dangerous when varicose veins are combined with obesity. In this situation, everything can end with serious consequences. Due to the weak ligamentous apparatus, in which there is high mobility in the joints. The man is flexible, does all the exercises without any problems - does the splits, stretches his muscles. Due to physical activity, microtraumas of the knee and arthrosis can occur. In addition to weak ligaments, sensitivity in the legs is impaired. When injured, there is no severe pain, so the disease is often not diagnosed in time.
4. Joint diseases. Osteoarthritis in the knee joint occurs due to arthritis - psoriatic, rheumatoid, reactive. Arthritis is characterized by an inflammatory process in which synovial fluid accumulates in the joints, which can result in swelling and destruction of cartilage tissue.
5. Due to metabolic disorders. The tissues lack vitamins and minerals. Most often, there is not enough calcium, so bone and cartilage tissue is destroyed.
6. Grade 3 arthrosis in the knee joint is often a consequence of stress, nervous tension, mood swings - all this affects the condition of the joints. It is necessary to rest as often as possible, mental and physical activity should constantly alternate. In women over 40 years of age, the inflammatory process is most often triggered by accumulated fatigue.
The disease develops gradually, maybe over months or years, until it worsens. The pain is weak at first, and worsens when a person runs, walks, or after physical activity. Pain occurs due to dislocation, pinching, or fracture.
Arthrosis of the knee joint of the 3rd degree appears not only during physical activity, but also during rest. Paroxysmal pain appears after walking, if a person lifts something heavy. To get rid of the feeling of discomfort, you need to rest a lot. But the pain may still return.
At an advanced stage of the disease, the knee swells. A serious consequence is synovitis, in which a large amount of fluid accumulates in the joint. If there is a lot of it, a Becker cyst may occur. A dense elastic formation appears on the back. In this situation, grade 3 arthrosis is treated with surgery.
Often when the disease occurs, a crunching sound appears, it is sharp, and severe pain occurs. All symptoms arise due to the fact that a person has a weak ligamentous apparatus or a person moves his joints excessively
Symptoms develop at a late stage of arthrosis. It is painful for the patient to bend and straighten his legs. When he wants to perform a movement, severe pain occurs. Legs can bend at an angle of 95 degrees. Subsequently, severe unbearable pain occurs and the joint becomes deformed.
Arthrosis at stage 3 is characterized by the fact that the joint stops moving completely; sometimes the patient has to move by bending his legs. The patient cannot sleep peacefully and begins to take a large amount of non-steroidal medications for inflammation. Ozone therapy is especially helpful; for this purpose, an injection is given into the affected area. Additionally, it is recommended to use creams and ointments.
Kinesitherapy is also necessary for illness; it includes a set of exercises using simulators, with their help you can improve blood circulation and elasticity. In severe cases, chondroprotectors are used.
So, with grade 3 arthrosis, the cartilage tissue becomes very thin, the bone is exposed. Osteophytes are visible on x-rays - a large amount of salts and free bodies are deposited in the joint cavity. The pain is very difficult to overcome; you have to completely stop walking. Unpleasant sensations with arthrosis of the 3rd degree remain when a person is resting. Particularly dangerous is deforming arthrosis of the knee, which causes severe pain and crunching. In this situation, it is necessary to start treatment at an early stage, this way you can protect the cartilage from deformation.
Arthrosis is one of the most common diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Its symptoms occur in every fifth inhabitant of our planet over 50 years of age. Today, hundreds of answers are offered to the question: how to treat arthrosis? What should you listen to and what dangers do many medications pose?
Knee injections
Arthrosis is a chronic degenerative-dystrophic disease of the articular system. Most often it develops in older people and affects large joints: knee, hip, ankle and others. The causes of the disease are still not precisely known. It is considered genetically determined; various factors can also provoke the occurrence of the disease:
Unlike arthritis, with arthrosis the cartilage tissue itself changes, it begins to collapse, then the surrounding tissues and the bone base of the joint are involved in the pathological process.
Symptoms of the disease gradually intensify. At first, the pain only occurs after physical activity, at night, or after a long walk. Then they become more intense, restriction of movement appears in the affected joint, and without comprehensive treatment the person loses the ability to use the affected limb and this can lead to disability.
Arthrosis is a chronic disease with frequent relapses, and only comprehensive treatment, rehabilitation and lifestyle changes can help cure it. The comprehensive treatment program is compiled individually, taking into account the patient’s condition, the degree of the disease and the presence of other diseases.
Treatment of arthrosis is aimed at achieving several goals:
The affected joint is painful and swollen
Treatment of arthrosis is divided into the following areas:
Drugs that are used to treat arthrosis include the following groups:
Medications can quickly relieve pain
When deciding how to treat arthrosis of the joints, the use of NSAIDs comes to the fore. They quickly relieve inflammation, reduce pain and allow you to move on to other types of treatment, since the doctor’s primary task is to alleviate the patient’s suffering. And then, while taking them, it becomes possible to begin restorative procedures, taking chondroprotectors and other medications.
The advantages of using this type of drug are their rapid action, the absence of hormones in the composition and a good therapeutic effect. But when taking NSAIDs, you need to remember that they only weaken the symptoms of the disease, but do not cure it. So this is only a temporary measure, and to cure the disease you need to continue comprehensive treatment.
Also, with long-term use, non-steroidal drugs can contribute to the destruction of cartilage tissue, that is, on the contrary, they accelerate the development of the disease. The doctor should prescribe the dose of the drug and the course of treatment, since there are many contraindications and side effects when taking them.
These drugs promote the regeneration of cartilage tissue, they restore its structure and help growth. Taking chondroprotectors is the basis of drug therapy for arthrosis. With their help, you can solve the problem: how to cure arthrosis and restore lost health. Unlike NSAIDs, chondroprotectors do not treat the symptoms of the disease, but act on its cause. Taking them can relieve the symptoms of the disease and avoid its reappearance.
Conversation with the doctor
But, like any other drug, chondroprotectors also have negative sides. Taking them is not a panacea in the treatment of arthrosis; it can only help at stages 1-2 of the disease, when the cartilage tissue is not yet too destroyed. It is also a delayed-acting drug - you need to take several courses of tablets to get the effect. The effect will be noticeable several months after the start of treatment. This is why negative reviews often appear when using these medications: the patient starts treatment, does not see any effect and stops taking chondroprotectors.
To obtain a lasting therapeutic effect, the drugs must be taken regularly, in courses and in sufficient doses. One of the undoubted advantages of this type of drug is the almost complete absence of contraindications and side effects. The only thing that can become an obstacle to the use of chondroprotectors is allergic reactions and the presence of phenylketonuria.
The most popular chondroprotectors that are used now are Artra, Dona, Condra, Structum, Teraflex, Chondro, Chondroitin and others. The course of treatment should be at least several months and repeated annually for 3-5 years.
A set of therapeutic exercises
Ointments and creams can only have a symptomatic effect. Despite what they say in the advertisements of these medicines, they cannot help cure the disease. Their use is mainly aimed at alleviating pain, reducing inflammatory reactions and improving blood circulation in the joint.
It is recommended to use ointments that have a warming effect and improve blood circulation in the joint. Ointments and creams of this group: Menovazin, Espol, Gevkamen, Nicoflex-cream and others.
For more severe disease, it is recommended to use ointments containing NSAIDs, but their therapeutic effect is very limited. The fact is that about 5-7% of the drug passes through the skin barrier, so for synovitis and arthritis the effect is very insignificant.
Compresses are a more effective remedy compared to the previous group. The most popular drugs are: Dimexide, bischofite and medical bile.
A more beneficial therapeutic effect is provided by intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid preparations - they form a protective shell on damaged cartilage tissue and help avoid further destruction of cartilage, facilitating movement in the joint. Hyaluronic acid acts as synovial fluid - it facilitates joint gliding, nourishes cartilage and helps it maintain elasticity. This reduces pain during movement, inflammatory changes and alleviates the patient’s condition. In addition, they have virtually no side effects or contraindications. The main disadvantage of this type of treatment is the high price of the drugs.
Leeches help in the treatment of arthrosis
Speaking about additional methods of treatment, the following should be noted as the most effective:
Manual treatment should only be carried out by an experienced doctor who has proven himself in the treatment of joint pathologies. For example, in the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint, manual therapy together with limb traction, intra-articular injections and the use of chondroprotectors can quickly put the patient on his feet.
Physiotherapy is used as an auxiliary treatment and to speed up the rehabilitation period. Their main goal is to reduce inflammation and accelerate tissue regeneration. The following procedures are widely used: laser and cryotherapy, thermal treatment - ozokerite, mud baths, paraffin therapy, ultraviolet irradiation.
For this disease, the diet is not very specific and is aimed at observing the principles of proper nutrition. It is necessary to exclude the intake of alcohol and tobacco products, limit sweets, fatty foods, flour, canned foods and the like. You should try to eat more vegetables, fruits and dairy products.
Therapeutic exercise is one of the most important therapeutic activities carried out at home. It is impossible to achieve improvement in the condition of the joint without resorting to this remedy.
Even with the most effective drug therapy, changes occur in the joint that cause limited movement, muscle weakness and dysfunction. And besides performing special exercises, there is no other way to restore lost mobility to sore limbs, give strength to muscles and activate blood circulation.
When practicing exercise therapy with a doctor, no difficulties will arise, except for the patient’s own reluctance to exercise due to laziness or discomfort at the beginning of classes. If the patient plans to exercise independently, then the main thing is gradualness and regularity.
Here are some recipes for treating arthrosis with folk remedies:
By using different treatment methods in combination, you can achieve good results in the treatment of arthrosis.