How to treat arthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a chronic joint disease in which cartilage is destroyed in adjacent bony structures. This disease is widespread around the world.

The main cause of the pathology is a violation of metabolism. Predisposing factors are birth defects, organ inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, trauma, and being overweight. With age, the risk of bone diseases increases.

Treatment of joint disease is a complex and time-consuming process. In this case, it is not enough just to take various medications to relieve the symptoms. It will be necessary to take other measures that contribute to the suppression of the progression of the disease. Without them, the risk of complications and disability increases many times over.

Brief description of the disease

Before talking about how to treat arthritis, it is necessary to say a few words about what it is and the development of this disease. Arthritis is a disease of the joints, which is accompanied by degenerative-dystrophic processes. During its development, the following processes take place:

• the density and elasticity of cartilage decreases, they no longer perform shock-absorbing functions;
• the degree of friction between the bones increases, which leads to their gradual destruction and deformation, the formation of sharp corners on the surface;
• sharp elements dig deep into adjacent tissues, irritating their inflammation;
• motor functions are partially or completely impaired.

Joint deformity has severe symptoms. Typically, patients complain of pain and swelling in the joints, as well as crunching, limited range of motion, and morning stiffness.

Unfortunately, joint disease cannot be cured permanently. You can recover from the disease only in one case - if the disease is detected at an early stage of development. But since it is asymptomatic at this stage, most patients do not even suspect that they have a pathology and, therefore, do not undergo any treatment. And when symptoms appear, irreversible processes occur in the joints that cannot be eliminated.

As for the factors that provoke the development of pathology, it is necessary to distinguish the following reasons:

• hurt;
• Hypothermia;
• bad habits;
• excessive manual labor;
• Professional sports;
• Malnutrition;
• Hormonal disorder;
• autoimmune diseases, etc. v.

Basic principles of treatment

Can arthritis be cured? No. This disease cannot be treated. But that doesn't mean you don't have to deal with it. The lack of treatment can lead to serious consequences - the disease will progress, the patient will lose the ability to work and become disabled. So, despite the fact that the methods used do not allow to cure the disease, it must be treated!

With the development of rheumatic diseases (any type, coxarthrosis, osteoarthritis, etc. ), a unique regimen of treatment is used, which includes:

• taking medicines that help relieve pain and stop the progression of the disease;
• weight loss and proper nutrition;
• therapeutic exercise classes;
• Massage;
• physical therapy procedures.

With osteoarthritis, a very important point is the fight against excess weight, if any. Excess kilograms are an additional load on the ligamentous apparatus, which is the cause of the rapid progression of the disease. Therefore, if the patient's body weight exceeds the norm, it is necessary to lose weight urgently. But fasting is contraindicated. In this case, the nutritional diet is selected individually.

As for the food itself, it also has its limitations. For any type of joint disease, you should give up the use of foods high in purines. It:

• young animal meat;
• mushroom broth, meat, vegetables and fish;
• jelly dishes;
• meat sauces, gravy;
• internal organs;
• smoked pork;
• oily fish;
• salty and spicy cheese;
• caviar;
• cocoa, black tea, coffee;
• refractory fats;
• pea's tree;
• products prepared on the basis of grapes;
• baked goods made from yeast dough, etc. v.

Your doctor should give you details on how to eat after identifying osteoarthritis or other types of DOA. Eating properly, the patient will prevent the accumulation of uric acid salts in the body and avoid dangerous complications.

In addition, talking about how to treat joint diseases, it should be noted that massage and physiotherapeutic exercises must be performed without fail. But not your own! Massage should only be performed by specialists, since any wrong action can lead to complications. And therapeutic exercise exercises under the supervision of a doctor are only performed for the first time, then the patient can do exercises at home.

Drugs

Medicines won't cure arthritis forever. But they will relieve symptoms and stop pathological processes in the joints, help to normalize their motor functions and significantly improve the patient's condition.

As a rule, the treatment of joint diseases includes the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These drugs have several effects at once:

• stop inflammatory processes;
• relieve pain syndrome;
• fever-reducing effect.

NSAIDs are available in several forms - tablets, ointment, rectal suppositories, solution for intramuscular injection. In fact, they quickly eliminate the pain syndrome and their effects last for a long time. But this class of drugs has some disadvantages. It is impossible to take them for more than 5-7 days, since the components contained in them have an irritating effect on the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. And this can cause exacerbation of peptic ulcer, gastritis, pancreatitis, as well as the appearance of side effects such as diarrhea, gas, bloating, etc. v.

NSAIDs can only be taken with your doctor's permission. Incorrect dosage can lead to exacerbation of joint disease and even greater destruction of cartilage and bone tissue!

In severe cases, when the treatment of joint deformities with NSAIDs does not give satisfactory results, people will use corticosteroids. As a rule, they are introduced into the body by injection into a joint capsule. Unlike NSAIDs, the effects of corticosteroids last for several months. But you can not use them more than 4 times a year, since they also negatively affect the condition of the joints.

Importance! NSAIDs and corticosteroids are medications that treat symptoms. They do not cure joint disease, but simply eliminate its unpleasant manifestations.

Pain relievers are also used to relieve pain. Unlike NSAIDs, these drugs do not contribute to the elimination of inflammatory processes, but they eliminate pain much better. And if the patient has muscle spasticity, use antispasmodic drugs to relieve the pain. The greatest effect is given by analgesics and antispasmodics in the form of solutions for intramuscular administration.

Deformed joints and bones are also treated with chondroprotectors. And if the above drugs only work to treat symptoms, these drugs have a therapeutic effect. They contain substances that help restore nutrition of damaged tissues, restoring their integrity.

Chondroprotectors act slowly. To achieve positive results from them, they must be taken continuously for at least six months. But if the disease has reached stage 3 or 4, it becomes meaningless to receive them.

In addition, vasodilators are also commonly used in the treatment of joint disease. They provide improved blood flow, as well as eliminate spasms in small vessels. Apply such funds in conjunction with chondroprotectors.

Physiotherapy procedures

In addition to drug treatment, joint disease is also treated with the help of physical therapy procedures. They also do not help cure the disease, but contribute to a significant improvement in the patient's state of health. The most popular of them are:

• Shockwave therapy (SWT). The action of this procedure is to eliminate the main cause of pain that occurs with joint disease. It helps to eliminate spiky-like bone processes - bone-forming substances. Of course, this does not happen immediately, but gradually. Under the action of ultrasonic waves, the bone-forming substance softens and eventually dissolves. In addition, SWT improves blood circulation in the pathological focus and normalizes metabolism. But, despite the effectiveness of this procedure, its use is possible only in the early stages of the development of the disease. In addition, it has many contraindications.
• Muscle stimulation. This procedure involves the application of electrical impulses that cause muscle contractions. Its implementation is recommended for bedridden patients and in severe injuries, when exercise therapy becomes impossible. Thanks to the stimulation of the muscles, there is an increase in their tone and an improvement in blood circulation, which has a positive effect on the degenerative process of joints.
• Electrophoresis. This procedure is carried out using ultrasound waves with the simultaneous use of drugs. Waves enhance the effect of the drug. Thanks to them, they are brought directly to the focus of the pathology, which enhances the effectiveness of their treatment.
• Ozone therapy. It involves the introduction of a gas mixture into the joint capsule. The main actions are to reduce inflammatory reactions, relieve pain, improve motor functions. As a rule, ozone therapy is prescribed in a course that includes several injections. Their number depends on the severity of the degenerative joint process.

Importance! Physiotherapy procedures are prescribed on an individual basis, taking into account contraindications and severity of the disease process.

Physical therapy

Can osteoarthritis be cured with exercise therapy? The answer is the same - no. Therapeutic exercises are indicated for patients to develop joints and improve motor functions. Performing special exercises also contributes to the normalization of blood circulation in the foci of pathology and enhances the supply of nutrients to the affected tissues.

All physical exercises are also individually selected. They are first done under the close supervision of a specialist, and then can be done independently, at home.

Massage and hand therapy

They are used to treat osteoarthritis (osteoarthritis) and other types of joint disease. These procedures help to heat the diseased area, eliminate spasms, normalize blood circulation. Manual massages and treatments are performed exclusively by a professional. They can be taken both during the remission phase and during the exacerbation phase.

Mechanical therapy

Mechanics is a special type of exercise in which all physical exercises are performed using special simulators. They contribute to an increase in the load on the body, and at the same time prevent damage to diseased joints. Like physical therapy, mechanical therapy helps increase muscle tone and improve blood circulation.

Joint traction

The essence of the procedure is the mechanical "stretching" of the joints with the help of a special apparatus. One session lasts about 15-20 minutes. The entire course consists of 10-12 procedures, which are carried out every six months. Stretching the joints helps to reduce the load, slow the progression of joint disease, and relieve pain.

Alternative medicine dose

Alternative medicine also effectively eliminates pain that occurs against the background of osteoarthritis, coxarthrosis and other diseases. But like other cases, they do not bring about a definitive treatment of the pathology, so you should not put much hope on them.

Importance! It is recommended to use folk remedies as an adjuvant therapy in combination with other treatment methods prescribed by a doctor.

Ointment at home

To prepare for it, you will need:

• animal fat (for example, pork) - 1 cup;
• unrefined vegetable oil - 100 ml;
• birch buds - 1 tbsp. l;
• propolis - 50 g.

The ointment is prepared as follows. First, tallow is melted, boiled, and birch buds are added to it. The resulting composition is then simmered in a water bath for about 2-3 hours and cooled to room temperature. After that, propolis is added (it is pre-ground on a grater) and the ointment is stirred until dissolved. And the last ingredient is vegetable oil. Next, the product is left in a cool place until completely cooled and filtered.

Apply the ointment as needed, depending on the severity of the pain, but no more than 5 times a day. It should be noted that such a remedy has not only an analgesic effect, but also an anti-inflammatory effect. It can be used not only for joint diseases. It will also help with arthritis, osteonecrosis and bronchitis. It can be used by both adults and children.

cabbage leaves

Effective remedy for joint pain. It is applied as follows. Take a large leaf of white cabbage, place inside the affected area, and secure with a warm bandage on top. Compression is left overnight. To enhance the effect, the leaves apply honey.

Pills

Any pharmacy sells cheap and over-the-counter medicines. For example, Dimexide. This medicine has very good analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects. It improves metabolism and enhances blood circulation.

To apply, you need to take a napkin folded in several layers, soak it in the solution and apply it to the painful joint, after lubricating it with a little vegetable oil. Above you need to attach polyethylene and warm tape. Hold the gauze for about 20-30 minutes. Do it before going to bed.

Compress wine

Available in several versions:

• 280 g of guava leaves or flower honey are melted in a water bath, then add 350 ml of beet juice, 1 tbsp. l. salt and 120 g fortified red wine. All ingredients are thoroughly mixed and cooled. It is applied as follows - about 10-15 g of the mixture is rubbed on the painful area, then a warm bandage is applied for 30-40 minutes. The duration of treatment is 30 days.
• First, a medicinal mixture is prepared. To do this, red wine and bee venom are mixed in a container in a ratio of 1: 1. The resulting composition is slightly heated, then moistened with a gauze napkin and applied to the damaged joint. , warm ice is made on top. Hold the compress for 30 minutes.
• This compress will require 150 g of beets. It is rubbed on a fine grater, and then mixed with 2 tsp. guilt. The resulting mud is placed on the tissue and applied to the joint. Polyethylene is necessarily applied from above, and the limb is wrapped with a towel or warm towel. Hold the compress for 40 minutes. The course of treatment is 5 weeks.

garlic juice with oil

Peel the garlic, put it in the press and squeeze the juice. Mix it with olive oil in a ratio of 1: 10. If there is no olive oil, you can use corn oil, but in this case the ratio will be 1: 12. The resulting mixture should be made in1 teaspoon. every day before breakfast.

Cranberry juice

To prepare it, you will need reishi leaves. 1 st. l. The ingredients are poured into 250 ml of water, then reduce the heat and boil for 20 minutes. Then the finished broth is cooled and filtered. Drink small sips throughout the day.

Infusion of black currant leaves

1 st. l. The leaves of the plant are pounded, pour 0. 5 liters of boiling water and leave for about 1 hour, then filter. Drink ½ cup 5-6 times a day.

It should be understood that there is no medicine that can eliminate the causes of osteoarthritis and completely cure this disease. Unfortunately, the disease is not treatable and all the remedies used only contribute to the relief of the symptoms. And for the therapy to bring the maximum results, it is necessary to strictly follow all the recommendations of the doctor.