Article by Dr. Evdokimenko© for the book “Pain and Numbness in the Hands”, published in 2004. Edited in 2011 All rights reserved.
Arthrosis of the wrist joint is not very common. Basically, it is post-traumatic, that is, it develops as a complication after a dislocation or fracture of the wrist bones (it should be clarified that arthrosis usually does not occur immediately, but several weeks or months after the injury).
Arthrosis of the wrist joint is characterized by symptoms such as crunching in the joint during movement and pain that occurs only with certain movements or in extreme positions of flexion-extension of the joint - i.e. when trying to bend and straighten the joint to the maximum, “all the way.” At rest, without movement, pain appears only if a person overloaded the sore joint a few hours earlier.
The mobility of the wrist joint with arthrosis is always reduced by 30-50%. But the appearance of the wrist joint affected by arthrosis remains practically unchanged - from the outside it looks almost healthy, or the joint is deformed quite a bit. Severe deformations of the wrist joint with arthrosis occur only when the disease was caused by a fracture of the wrist bones with their displacement.
Attention! We must remember that the wrist joint is one of the “favorite places” for inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis. And it is important not to confuse arthrosis of the wrist joint with this serious disease. Fortunately, distinguishing arthrosis from arthritis is usually quite simple. With arthritis, unlike arthrosis, pain is most often more severe at rest, late at night or in the morning.
When moving, the pain, on the contrary, often decreases (although extreme attempts to flex-extend the joint with arthritis, as with arthrosis, are also almost always painful). In the afternoon, especially in the evening, arthritic pain almost always subsides completely until late at night.
The appearance of the wrist joints affected by rheumatoid arthritis, as a rule, changes significantly: there is either pronounced swelling and “swelling” of the wrist joint, or a “sinking zone” in the area of this joint due to atrophy of its muscles.
It is also characteristic that with arthritis, damage to the wrist joints alone is extremely rare - any arthritis most often leads to inflammation of several joints at once; on the contrary, arthrosis of the wrist joint is an isolated post-traumatic pathology, usually affecting a single damaged wrist joint. Another distinctive point: the general condition of those suffering from arthrosis of the wrist joint usually does not change, and with arthritis, fever, weakness, chills, body aches, etc. may be observed.
As mentioned above, arthrosis of the wrist joint is most often post-traumatic and usually develops after fractures and dislocations of the wrist bones. But, in addition, “occupational” arthrosis of the wrist joint also occurs, associated with its professional overload or microtrauma. Such overloads and microtraumas often occur in athletes and construction workers who actively load their hands.
Arthrosis of the wrist joint also often develops in people who, due to their profession, are forced to work a lot with a jackhammer, a drill with a perforator, etc. Indeed, in such cases, another damaging factor is added to overloads and microtraumas - vibration.
As a result of the above-mentioned unfavorable effects, the joint begins, as doctors say, to “degrade”: the small bones of the wrist joint are deformed, and the articular cartilage loses some of its moisture, becomes dry and less smooth, rough. In addition, it becomes thinner and loses its ability to absorb the load on the bones of the joint. And to top off the troubles, the amount of healthy joint fluid in the joint, which performs a “lubricating” function during the movement of articular components, may decrease.
All this leads to the appearance of those unpleasant symptoms mentioned above: a decrease in the mobility of the wrist joint, the appearance of a crunch in it and pain when moving.
First, it is necessary to conduct an X-ray examination of the wrist to clarify the degree of arthrosis changes in the diseased wrist joint. And also in order not to miss a possible inflammatory process (i.e. arthritis).
And, secondly, again, in order to “not miss” arthritis, it is necessary to conduct blood tests: clinical (from a finger) and an analysis for rheumatic tests (from a vein). It is characteristic that with arthrosis, blood tests from a finger and from a vein remain within normal limits, and with arthritis, some deviations are almost always observed (increased indicators such as ESR, C-reactive protein, seromucoid, uric acid, changes in the level of globulins, etc. ).
Treatment of arthrosis of the wrist joint
Proper treatment of arthrosis of the wrist joint almost always gives a good result. But this only happens if we can eliminate the damaging effect that led to the disease - if we prevent further overload of the joint, eliminate the possibility of repeated microtraumas, immobilize the wrist joint with a fixing bandage or a special orthopedic wristband, etc. In such a situation, treatment of arthrosis of the wrist joint will almost certainly be successful.
If our patient continues to overload his arm or continues to work in traumatic work without taking care to protect the joint with the help of any orthopedic devices (for example, wristbands), the effect of treatment will be reduced to zero or will be minimal and short-lived.
Now let's talk about those treatment procedures that bring maximum benefit for arthrosis of the wrist joint .
Firstly, as with any type of arthrosis, we need to take care of saturating the damaged joint cartilage with special nutrients - chondroprotectors. The course treatment of arthrosis with chondroprotectors is described in detail here >>>
Secondly, we must try to restore the “joint game”, i.e. restore the mobility of the bones that articulate in the wrist joint. Manual therapy (mobilization method) is well suited for this. Typically, 3-4 sessions of manual therapy are enough to maximize the mobility of a sore wrist joint.
The third task facing us in the treatment of arthrosis of the wrist joint is to improve blood circulation in it and accelerate metabolism in the joint. To solve this problem, we have a large selection of treatment procedures. So, we can successfully use:
And finally, when treating the most severe cases of arthrosis, we can use the method of saturating the diseased joint with special “lubricating” substances - derivatives of hyaluronic acid (preparations Ostenil, Fermatron, Go-on, Giastat, etc.). With the help of 3-5 injections of hyaluronic acid into the diseased joint, carried out after manual reposition of the joint (and sometimes without it), it is possible to dramatically improve the condition in 70-80% of patients (hyaluronic acid preparations are described in detail in Chapter 26).
And if the treatment is carried out comprehensively, in all four areas (the use of chondroprotectors, manual therapy, improving blood circulation in the joint and intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid), the result of therapy will be even higher.
The wrist joint articulates 5 bones - the radius, ulna and the first row of carpals. A complex complex joint is formed, which includes the fibrocartilaginous articular disc of the ulna. The elliptical wrist joint is one of the most mobile in the human body, it allows for flexion-extension movements, abduction-adduction. It is easily injured, so osteoarthritis of the wrist joint is most often post-traumatic; arthrosis due to professional overload is also common. The joint area contains blood vessels, nerves, and tendons, which can be involved in the pathological process of arthrosis. At the first sign of wrist pain, you should get tested. If arthrosis of the wrist is diagnosed in a timely manner, treatment will be more effective.
As already mentioned, most often this type of arthrosis develops after a traumatic injury to the wrist - bruise, fracture, dislocation, sprain. Post-traumatic arthrosis begins to develop several weeks or even several months after damage to bones or ligaments. By this time, the visible consequences of the injury have usually already been eliminated, severe pain and deformation have disappeared. The patient may associate discomfort in the wrist and stiffness of movement with the fact that the injury has not completely healed, and expect improvement. In fact, this is how the long-term consequence of injury manifests itself - deforming arthrosis. This disease progresses, symptoms increase, and the patient’s condition worsens. Treatment can only stop the development of arthrosis of the wrist joint, but not reverse it.
The disease can also be caused by:
Destruction of cartilage and articular disc usually begins with mechanical damage. Due to age-related changes or against the background of systemic diseases, the mechanism of restoration of cartilage tissue may be disrupted. This occurs due to a deficiency of nutrients, the production of synovial fluid and cartilage cells in insufficient quantities. At the first stage, degenerative-dystrophic changes affect mainly cartilaginous tissue. Cartilage plays the role of a layer that reduces friction of the bones, and the articular disc ensures their congruence, that is, the correspondence of the articulating surfaces. As a result of the destruction of cartilage tissue, the bones of the joints are deformed, and growths in the form of spines are formed. Osteoarthritis of the wrist joint is usually accompanied by shortening of the radius.
At a late stage, arthrosis affects the periarticular tissues located outside the joint capsule. Calcification of the ligaments occurs and they lose their elasticity. The muscles atrophy and sometimes contract painfully. Damage to nerves and blood vessels by overgrown osteophytes is possible.
With arthrosis of the wrist joint, symptoms and treatment depend on what stage the disease has reached. With grade 1 arthrosis of the wrist joint, movements in the wrist are accompanied by moderate pain, and stiffness of movement is noted in the morning. At this stage, the cartilage is already thinning and cracks may appear in it. The synovial fluid thickens and does not provide the cartilage with the necessary amount of nutrients. The second stage is manifested by severe pain that occurs during movement and persists for a long time when the joint is no longer subject to stress. The movements are accompanied by a crunching sound. Their volume is reduced by about a third, and lateral movements are especially difficult. Muscles and ligaments weaken.
The most pronounced signs of arthrosis are at a late stage. This is constant intense pain, limited mobility up to 50%. Sometimes the wrist joint acquires pathological mobility, this leads to a displacement of the axis of the hand, the arm shortens or bends, as in the photo. Although arthrosis of the wrist joint, like other types of arthrosis, is called deforming arthrosis (DOA), the deformation of the joint is not noticeable even at the late stage of this disease. If there has previously been a displaced fracture of the wrist bones, severe deformity is more likely. Changes in the joints are clearly visible on an x-ray; the picture is taken in 2 or 3 projections.
The clinical picture with severely deformed joints and swelling is more typical of arthritis, which usually affects a group of joints. Arthrosis should also be distinguished from soft tissue diseases (tendinitis, bursitis), styloiditis (inflammation at the site of attachment of ligaments to the styloid processes of bones), aseptic necrosis of bones (Kiyabek-Prizer disease).
The diagnosis begins with examination and palpation of the wrist, comparison of the joints on the sore and healthy hand (post-traumatic arthrosis is usually one-sided). The doctor examines the palmar, dorsal, and lateral surfaces of the joint, paying attention to anatomical landmarks - dimples, tubercles, folds, bone protrusions. If any landmarks have disappeared or formed in an atypical location, this indicates a pathological process in the joint, but not necessarily arthrosis. The color and pattern of the skin and muscle tone are assessed. Swelling combined with redness and a local increase in temperature is a sign of an inflammatory process. Pain accompanying movements of the hand relative to the forearm and crunching are informative.
To make a more accurate diagnosis, laboratory and hardware examinations are necessary. X-ray reveals narrowing of the joint space, compaction of bone tissue, and osteophytes. With stage 2 arthrosis of the joint, the gap is narrowed by more than half, and at stage 3 it is practically absent. The number and size of osteophytes increases. Ultrasound allows you to obtain information about the condition of soft tissues. One of the most informative diagnostic techniques is MRI; this is an expensive procedure, but with its help it is possible to detect the slightest changes in articular and periarticular tissues. For differential diagnosis of arthrosis and inflammatory diseases, in particular arthritis, a general and biochemical blood test is performed; if arthritis is suspected, blood is taken for rheumatic tests.
After making an accurate diagnosis, you can begin treatment for arthrosis of the wrist. First, you need to unload the joint and prevent it from being re-injured. This is facilitated by orthopedic products - wristbands, orthoses, bandages, splints. They are recommended to be worn during the rehabilitation period after an injury, when the plaster is removed. People whose professional activities or hobbies involve stress on the wrist should wear a brace, a fixing bandage while working or playing sports for therapeutic and preventive purposes. Another condition for successful therapy is maintaining a balanced diet. A person should receive enough vitamins and minerals, proteins, and fiber. The consumption of fats, carbohydrates, and salt must be limited, and harmful foods with preservatives should be excluded from the diet.
The wrist joint is formed by the radius, ulna and a number of carpal bones, has high mobility and the ability to perform flexion-extension movements. This bone connection is more susceptible to injury, which subsequently leads to dystrophic-degenerative lesions of the joint. This pathology is called arthrosis.
Arthrosis of the wrist joint is a rheumatoid disease in which disruptions occur in the normal functioning of blood vessels, tendons, and nerves in the area, disruption of tissue nutrition, or changes in the joint itself. At the first signs of the disease, it is important to consult a doctor and undergo a diagnostic test, which will determine the effectiveness of further treatment.
Arthrosis of the wrist joint is a rare disease that significantly impairs a person’s quality of life. It entails a decrease in the motor activity of the joint by up to 50%, the appearance of fatigue and inconvenience in performing any actions. Most often, arthrosis develops in older women or young people after injuries. The development of post-traumatic arthrosis begins several weeks after the injury. The victim feels pain, limited normal mobility, and deformity. This is how deforming arthrosis manifests itself in the area of the wrist joint.
It is impossible to notice the disease in time due to slow destructive processes that will outwardly manifest themselves only after some time. Therefore, it is not always possible to start treatment in a timely manner. But with the help of certain methods of therapy, the disease can be overcome. If conservative treatment methods do not give the desired result, or the disease is in an advanced form, then surgical intervention is used.
The main causes of joint dystrophy include the following factors:
Symptoms of arthrosis of the wrist joint depend on the cause, severity and nature of the pathology. The following symptoms accompany arthrosis are distinguished:
The presence of symptoms and further treatment depend on the extent of the disease.
If the first stage of development of the pathology occurs, there is a deterioration in the mobility of the wrist joint, mild pain, and the process of supply of nutrients directly to the cartilage is disrupted, which contributes to the appearance of cracks.
The second stage of the disease is determined by severe pain in the affected area with long-term persistence both in a calm state and during the performance of any actions. A characteristic crunch is observed during movement, muscles and ligaments become weak.
The third degree of pathology is characterized by the most pronounced symptoms - intense pain, significant destruction of the cartilage itself, deterioration of mobility up to 50%, bending of the hand, which entails severe deformation of the joint itself. Most often, the cause of the development of third degree disease is previously received fractures of the wrist bones with displacement.
To diagnose arthrosis of the wrist joint, it is necessary to carefully examine the affected area, find out the cause of its occurrence and conduct a series of diagnostic studies using laboratory and hardware tools.
To do this, the doctor prescribes a clinical blood test from a finger and blood donation from a vein for rheumatic tests. Usually, with arthrosis, ESR and uric acid levels are normal. Abnormality usually indicates arthritis.
For a more detailed examination of the pathology, in order to determine the width of the interarticular gaps, the presence of bone processes, and the degree of damage to the joint, an X-ray examination of the wrist is prescribed. Using an x-ray, you can determine the presence or absence of an inflammatory process and the degree of change in the joint area.
If making an accurate diagnosis becomes difficult, it is necessary to conduct a study using magnetic resonance or computed tomography. This diagnosis allows you to examine the condition of the tissues and identify changes in the wrist joint.
To begin treatment for deforming arthrosis, it is necessary to find out the cause of the disease and undergo a diagnostic test. There are several ways to eliminate pathology. These include:
To relieve pain and relieve inflammation, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used. In addition, these medications prevent further progression of the disease. They are used in the form of tablets, ointments, and gels. Widely used external agents - Dolgit, Rumalon.
Vasodilators are mandatory to restore normal blood circulation in the damaged area.
Muscle relaxants are used to relax muscle tissue and reduce their contraction. If the cause of arthrosis is infectious diseases, antibacterial drugs are prescribed.
In order to stop destructive processes in the wrist joint, normalize its blood supply, stimulate metabolism, eliminate the inflammatory process and relieve pain, physiotherapeutic methods of treatment are used. Good results in treatment and rehabilitation are shown by the use of magnetic therapy, therapeutic massage, mud therapy, laser therapy, UHF treatment, paraffin treatment, cryotherapy, and compresses.
An important point in the treatment of arthrosis is wearing a bandage or other device to fix the hand. Properly selected nutrition with a rich complex of vitamins and minerals will help restore cartilage tissue.
If conservative treatment does not give the desired result, or the disease is in an advanced form, surgical intervention is used. This procedure helps to maintain motor activity of the wrist and normalize flexion-extension functions. To do this, arthrodesis is performed and the joint is fixed using plates or a certain group of bones is removed.
Special exercises, developed by a specialist individually for each person, are very helpful in the treatment of arthrosis of the wrist joints. The following actions are most often prescribed:
Regular gymnastic exercises are effective for post-traumatic treatment of the wrist joint, especially in the initial stage of the disease. They improve the condition of bone joints, normalize the nutrition of cartilage, and relieve inflammation.
Treatment of arthrosis of the wrist joints can be carried out with the additional use of folk remedies. For this purpose, ointments, compresses, and lotions based on medicinal herbs are used. You can buy the necessary ingredients at the pharmacy or prepare it yourself.
A solution of lemon juice mixed with garlic juice in equal proportions helps. Apply at night as a lotion. An infusion of chamomile flowers (10 g per 200 ml of boiled water) acts as an anti-inflammatory pain reliever.
You can prepare an effective medicine from garlic and olive oil. To do this, chop the garlic, pour boiling water and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Take orally twice a day.
Often, for arthrosis, compresses from several types of herbs are used (most often they take marsh cinquefoil, burdock, string, birch leaves, willow bark).
Deforming osteoarthritis of the wrist joint is a chronic progressive disease leading to degenerative-dystrophic damage to the joint as a result of destruction of hyaline cartilage.
The pathology of this anatomical section is recorded much less frequently in comparison with defects of large joints: the hip, knee and ankle joints. However, osteoarthritis without timely comprehensive treatment leads to limitations in certain activities and complicates a person’s self-care.
In most cases, deforming osteoarthritis of the wrist joint occurs as a consequence of a complicated injury. The pathology develops several weeks or months after a fracture, bruise, dislocation of the bones of the forearm and metacarpus, or damage to the tendons of the hand.
Cases of an idiopathic type of disease have also been recorded - an ailment that manifests itself against the background of biological aging of the body - an inevitable process that includes degenerative changes in the structure of cartilage tissue.
The etiological condition for the formation of arthrosis of the wrist joint is systematic overload of the joint, associated with chronic injury due to professional activities.
For information! At risk: painters, artists, hairdressers and nail technicians, musicians, PC operators whose work duties require intense and regular stress on the wrist joint.
The likelihood of becoming a “victim” of degenerative changes exists:
Clinical signs of dystrophic lesions of the wrist joint are somewhat different from the manifestations of arthrosis localized in other joints. With this dislocation of the focus of arthropathy, pain in most patients occurs only as a result of significant and prolonged load on the joint. At rest or with inactive movements of the hand, discomfort and pain, as a rule, do not occur.
Another feature of this pathology is the nature and strength of the pain: aching, pulling, monotonous sensations appear, tingling in the hand area is not observed, discomfort occurs in a clearly limited area of the junction of the bones, there is no irradiation of pain along the branches of the brachial plexus nerves to other parts of the upper extremities.
A distinctive feature of “attacks” on the wrist joint: visually, arthrosis in this area almost never manifests itself as swelling, edema, discoloration of the skin, or blurred contours of the joint. These external signs reveal an inflammatory process – arthritis.
As the disease progresses, the patient notes a decrease in the volume and amplitude of movements in the wrist joint. At stages 3 and 4 of arthrosis, partial or complete immobility of the joint is noted.
The active development of the dystrophic process is indicated by the appearance of a dry, sonorous crunch resembling clicks when performing hand flexion.
The main task during exacerbation of arthrosis: to prevent repeated injuries, to ensure complete rest for the joint, giving it an anatomically comfortable position. To immobilize the wrist joint, special orthopedic bandages or knitted wristbands are used.
For information! Even if the full potential of modern medications is used, but the wrist joint is not protected, the effect of pharmacological therapy will be short-lived.
To relieve pain, traumatologists prescribe short-term oral administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, for example: Ortophenum.
The maximum benefit for deforming osteoarthritis will come from treatment with chondoprotectors, which:
In the arthrosis clinic, chondroprotectors are successfully used in the form of injection solutions, tablets, capsules, and products for external use, for example:
Attention! To succeed in overcoming degenerative-dystrophic joint lesions, chondoprotective drugs should be taken without interruption in long courses, on average from 4 to 6 months.
Unlike other types of arthropathy, when the wrist joint is damaged, there is no strong muscle spasm, so there is no need to use muscle relaxants.
In the treatment of severe forms of the disease, arthrologists recommend intra-articular injections with medications containing an artificial analogue of synovial fluid. Such preparations are made on the basis of sodium hyaluronate, which acts as a biological implant. Among the tested means:
An equally important task for getting rid of pathology is to improve blood circulation in the affected area and speed up metabolic processes in the joint. For these purposes use:
The “green” pharmacy has excellent healers at its disposal, with the help of which you can overcome arthrosis of the wrist joint. Medicinal plants, the properties of which are described in the table, are especially active in counteracting the disease.
Increases body tone. Improves metabolism. Enhances the removal of harmful substances from the body. An effective blood purifier.
All these natural helpers activate collagen synthesis, improve the elasticity of cartilage tissue, and reduce swelling.
Folk remedies for the treatment of ailments of the musculoskeletal system involve long-term use of infusions and decoctions of medicinal plants. You can brew medicinal material separately or prepare mixtures from two or three types of plants. The duration of treatment with one composition should be at least one month. The prepared forms should be consumed before meals three times a day in the amount of 50 ml per dose.
A decoction and infusion for internal use in most cases is prepared in the following proportion: 1 part of the medicinal material and 10 parts of water. To prepare the infusion, the raw material is poured with boiling water and infused for 12 hours, after which it is filtered. To obtain a decoction, dry material is poured with boiling water, kept in a steam bath for 10 minutes, and once cooled, filtered through a sieve.
All prepared forms should be kept in the refrigerator. It is necessary to prepare such a volume of healing liquid that the product can be used within 24 hours.
In the treatment of osteoarthritis with folk remedies, ointments that can be prepared at home have proven themselves well. The product must be applied to the affected joint in the evening and left to act overnight.
The use of fresh nettle leaves shows miraculous results. They should be twisted in a meat grinder and combined with olive oil.
A simple but effective folk remedy. Grind the eggshells into a powdery mass, add high-fat kefir until a thick “ointment” is obtained.
Grind fresh large burdock leaves into pulp, add castor oil.
A proven folk remedy for pathological joint damage is white cabbage, the fresh leaves of which should be ground in a meat grinder and combined with any vegetable oil.
The wrist joint is the most important element of the human musculoskeletal system, located at the junction of the bones of the forearm and hand.
Arthrosis of the wrist joint is a rare disease that is degenerative in nature and quite significantly worsens the patient’s quality of life.
What is this disease, how does it manifest itself and how is it treated? Let's try to sort this issue out.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW! The only remedy for JOINT PAIN, arthritis, arthrosis, osteochondrosis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system, recommended by doctors! Read more.
The main reasons for the development of arthrosis of the wrist joint are:
Today, arthrosis of the wrist joint is a difficult and late diagnosed disease. This is explained by the fact that the initial stages of the disease do not bring much discomfort to patients, and therefore they seek treatment at already advanced and difficult-to-treat stages.
The most characteristic signs of the disease are:
The pain, which is mild in the initial stages of the disease, gradually intensifies as the disease progresses. Moreover, the patient begins to experience particular discomfort when leaning on the palm or bending the hand to the maximum, as well as after lifting something heavy. Crunching in the joint also becomes more frequent as arthrosis progresses. Swelling with this disease practically does not occur.
It is not difficult to completely restore JOINTS! The most important thing is to rub this into the sore spot 2-3 times a day.
Diagnosis of arthrosis of the wrist joint is a complex of examinations, including:
A blood test and x-ray in this case make it possible to distinguish arthrosis of the wrist joint from arthritis, which is similar in symptoms and different in treatment.
The classic treatment regimen for arthrosis of the wrist joint includes both conservative and surgical treatment.
Conservative treatment includes:
Attention! Conservative therapy should be prescribed by a doctor. Self-medication in this case is unacceptable.
Surgical treatment of arthrosis of the wrist joint is prescribed when conservative therapy does not bring any results. Surgical treatment in this case includes:
Treatment with traditional medicine serves as an excellent complement to drug therapy and can significantly improve the quality of life of people suffering from arthrosis of the wrist joint. To improve well-being, in this case, compresses based on medicinal herbs are used - burdock, cinquefoil, birch leaves, made at night and wrapped in woolen cloth.
The main symptom of this disease is pain in the wrist area and limited mobility. It must be said that people usually go to the doctor when the pain becomes severe, not paying attention to the first “bells”. And unbearable pain is a sign of advanced disease.
Symptoms of arthrosis increase as the disease becomes more complicated.
There are 3 degrees of arthrosis of the wrist joint, which have the following symptoms:
Unpleasant sensations are especially pronounced in the morning, then continue throughout the day. There may be swelling.
The muscular-ligamentous apparatus of the hand, involved in movements, gradually weakens;
An orthopedic specialist can diagnose joint arthrosis. There is no point in delaying your visit, because the earlier the diagnosis is made, the easier and faster the disease can be cured.
After performing a visual examination and palpation, the doctor will prescribe:
Read more about hardware methods for diagnosing joint pathologies in this article...
After confirming the diagnosis, you can begin treatment of the disease. Arthrosis can be treated quite effectively provided that further joint strain is eliminated, and also if fixation is ensured using an orthopedic wristband, bandage, etc.
Treatment of wrist arthrosis can be done in the following ways:
To eliminate such a disease as deforming arthrosis of the wrist joint, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and chondroprotectors are usually used. For severe pain, the orthopedist may prescribe a certain type of analgesic.
The purpose of physiotherapy is to stimulate metabolic processes and improve blood circulation. Physiotherapy includes electrophoresis, mud therapy, ozokerite, paraffin therapy, magnetic therapy, and compresses.
Compliance with an orthopedic regimen includes wearing a bandage, elastic bandage, or other device that secures the hand.
It is possible to apply a plaster cast for a certain period of time. Carrying heavy objects and performing work that requires arm strain should be avoided. This is a prerequisite for the treatment of arthrosis of the wrist.
The patient's diet should be varied. Preference should be given to products that have a positive effect on the condition of cartilage tissue.
There is a list of exercises aimed at getting rid of post-traumatic arthrosis of the wrist joint. Here are some of them:
You can get acquainted with the set of exercises by watching the video:
Folk remedies can also help get rid of the disease.
Before using them, be sure to consult your doctor.
Some folk recipes:
Arthrosis of the wrist joint occurs due to:
Osteoarthritis of the wrist joint manifests itself with symptoms in accordance with stages I, II and III of development. The first to appear is pain and discomfort during flexion and extension, before joint deformation can be seen on an x-ray. The gap between the bones that make up the joint may narrow.
At stage I, pain symptoms caused by the load on the joint disappear with rest. Changes in the joint: there is no limitation in the volume and amplitude of movement.
At stage II, arthrosis of the wrist joint intrusively manifests itself with loads on the joint and at rest. The muscles undergo atrophy, on x-rays you can notice a significant narrowing of the joint gap, and bone growths appear near it.
At stage III, the patient has to endure constant pain and look for a position for the hands to reduce it. There is a sharp limitation in the mobility and range of motion of the wrist. Possible fusion of joint surfaces (ankylosis).
Symptoms of stages II and III include decreased grip strength and numbness of the hands, including the palms, which is called carpal tunnel syndrome. The tendons that run close to the nerve become swollen, causing it to swell. Soft tissue compactions appear.
The wrist area is examined with an x-ray to determine the degree of arthrosis, as well as to identify an associated inflammatory process (arthritis) and other diseases against which the patient may experience pain in the wrist joint:
In addition to X-rays, a general blood test (from a finger) and a rheumatic test (from a vein) are examined.
Treatment of deforming arthrosis is carried out:
As chondroprotectors, treatment of arthrosis at stages I and II is carried out with Glucosamine and Chondroitin sulfate. The products nourish cartilage tissue and restore its structure if damaged, improve the production of joint fluid, and normalize its lubricating properties.
Treatment with chondoprotective drugs has proven itself well: Arthra, Dona, Structum, Teraflex, Chondroitin AKOS, Chondrolone, Elbona. Treatment with drugs is combined with the use of dietary supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate: Sustanorm Life formula, Chondro and others.
Treatment of stage III with chondroprotectors will be ineffective due to the complete destruction of cartilage.
The mobility of the bones of the wrist joint is restored with manual therapy sessions using the mobilization method. To improve blood circulation and speed up metabolic processes in the joint, treatment is carried out with procedures that bring significant benefits:
When the wrist joint is affected by arthrosis, it is saturated with hyaluronic acid derivatives: Ostenil, Fermatron, Giastata, Go-ona. In its pure form, hyaluronic acid is injected into an arthritic joint, sometimes simultaneously with manual reposition.
Treatment with selective (non-steroidal) anti-inflammatory drugs: Celebrex, Celecoxib, Etoricoxib, Arcoxia, Meloxicam, Movalis eliminates pain and causes minimal side effects.
Complex therapy is supplemented with effective folk remedies for applying compresses and performing massages.
Application: a piece of softened propolis is tied to the wrist. It can be used 3-4 times daily, then replaced with fresh propolis.
Massage oil can be prepared from folk remedies: to a base of olive, peach, linseed, sesame, corn or sunflower oil (50 ml) you can add 20 drops of one of the essential oils: rosemary, coriander, eucalyptus or lemon, pine, cypress or lavender . You can make a bouquet of 4-5 essential oils, adding 4-5 drops of each to the base.
By daily massaging the wrist area with oil, you can get rid of lumps, bumps, pain syndromes and stop the destructive process of cartilage tissue on the surfaces of the joint bones.
For discomfort and pain in the wrist, rub ointment from folk remedies into it: stir vegetable oil with dry mustard and honey (1 tablespoon each) in a bathhouse for 15 minutes.
When the disease occurs, pain appears in the hands, and it becomes impossible to lean on the limb. The pain increases its intensity many times over when trying to move the limb in the joint; it is impossible to twist the hand. As hyaline cartilage dries, its roughness increases. As the disease progresses, it becomes thinner and then irreversibly destroyed, causing an increase in the symptoms of arthrosis of the wrist joint.
At the same time, the secretion of synovial fluid sharply decreases, doctors talk about the appearance of a “dry” joint. If most of the cartilage layer is destroyed, then a crunch appears. It is first heard when the limb is abducted to its maximum, or when performing a certain movement.
Drug treatment is the main treatment for joint pathology. In the acute period of the disease, a good effect can be expected from injections of anti-inflammatory drugs. A short course, which should not exceed 10 days, will help relieve the inflammatory process, which will smooth out the symptomatic picture. Additional medications prescribed:
As an effective addition to the medication course, the following is prescribed:
Only after diagnosing the disease, traditional medicine is used. It is effective for arthrosis of the wrist joint to rub honey, take infusions of anti-inflammatory herbs, and make compresses from plant materials.
In addition to the post-traumatic type of arthrosis, there is also “occupational” arthrosis, which occurs in people who periodically overload their joints during their professional activities. For example, among builders, especially those who constantly work with a drill or hammer drill, miners with a jackhammer, athletes and others.
With constant negative influences on the joint, it begins to degrade, the bones become deformed, the moisture in the articular cartilage decreases, becomes thinner and loses an important feature - the ability to absorb the load on the bones included in the joint.
A further deterioration in the condition of the joint is a decrease in healthy joint fluid, which performs a lubricating function in the joint during movement. As a result, the joint loses mobility and pain appears.
When diagnosing arthrosis, an x-ray of the wrist is required to record the degree of damage in the diseased joint, as well as to exclude other diagnoses, in particular arthritis.
For this purpose, other tests are also carried out, such as a clinical blood test, rheumatic tests. In case of arthrosis, the indicators of these tests should be normal, and in case of arthritis, an excess of ESR, C-reactive protein, uric acid, changes in the level of globulins, etc. can be noted.
It should be noted that correct and timely treatment of arthrosis usually gives excellent results..
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A great variety of folk remedies and recipes can be used to relieve pain, reduce swelling and improve joint mobility. Numerous reviews from those patients who used certain folk remedies have proven their effectiveness. The only thing that needs to be said is that they should be used in consultation with your doctor, and exclusively in combination with the rest of the therapy.