Arthritis is a disease accompanied by dystrophic changes in the articular cartilage without an inflammatory process. As a rule, the disease is most often diagnosed in the elderly (after 45 years). However, there are exceptions when the disease strikes at a younger age, mainly after trauma. Can't get rid of it completely. In order to reduce exacerbations and improve the general condition, the treatment of joint disease must be comprehensive.
How to treat joints?
In complex therapy, the following are used:
- drugs (pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs, chondroprotectors);
- physical therapy (heating, laser, UVT therapy, electrophoresis, ultrasound);
- special exercises;
- surgical intervention (in the later stages, in the absence of the effect of the drug);
- folk remedies;
- massage therapy;
- non-traditional methods (hirudotherapy, acupuncture, acupuncture).
Each phase of treatment should be individually developed by the physician for each patient.
How to treat joints with drugs?
To date, there are a large number of drugs used to treat this disease. However, they only help to eliminate the main symptoms and alleviate the patient's condition. It is not possible to restore articular cartilage, as dystrophic changes are irreversible.
Medical therapy includes the following drugs:
- NSAIDs to reduce pain and inflammation;
- chondroprotectors with chondroitin and glucose;
- intra-articular corticosteroids are used in severe cases, they can reduce inflammation and restore mobility to damaged joints;
- hyaluronic acid for intra-articular injection - used as a lubricant for joints, it can prevent friction, relieve pain, help form hyaluronate.
If the joint is already severely deformed, drug treatment will be powerless. Only surgery can replace it.
Physical therapy
Warm-up relieves pain and normalizes blood circulation. However, this method is used only at the early stages of the disease, when there are no serious lesions. Sometimes doctors advise their patients to visit the bath because they believe it has beneficial effects on health. But it should be remembered that it is necessary to warm up the joint in moderation. Overheating, like hypothermia, will adversely affect the development of the disease. It is also forbidden to heat the damaged area during exacerbations.
One of the methods of physical therapy involves the use of lasers to stop the progression of the degenerative process. During the procedure, the sore spot is exposed to a beam of light. As a result, it can improve blood circulation, reduce inflammation, reduce swelling, and eliminate pain. Before performing a laser procedure, the patient must be examined. When aggravated, it is banned.
The effectiveness of electrophoresis in joint disease has been demonstrated. The affected area is affected by special preparations, which create an electric field. Thus, the drug breaks down into ions, which then travel to the upper layers of the skin, enter the bloodstream, and spread throughout the body.
UVT therapy helps to cure joint diseases. This procedure eliminates inflammation, softens calcium deposits and removes it from the body, reducing swelling. However, this method of physiotherapy has many contraindications, including thrombosis, diabetes mellitus, tumor and pyogenic processes.
Exposure to ultrasound waves allows you to anesthetize the affected area, reducing inflammation. Usually, ultrasound treatment is used during the rehabilitation period after surgery.
Surgical intervention
When medications don't work, which often occurs in the advanced stages of the disease, your doctor may decide to have surgery. There are several types of such operations:
- joint lift surgery - damaged cartilage is replaced with an artificial implant, which relieves pain and improves mobility;
- prosthetics - joints are completely removed and instead a prosthetic made of special materials is installed, which prevents rejection;
- arthroscopy - helps to prevent joint destruction, during operation, areas with inflammatory processes are removed.
If the patient consults a doctor in the early stages of the disease, surgery can be avoided.
Folk remedies
In complex therapy, in addition to drugs, folk remedies are used to help patients relieve unpleasant symptoms.
The following formulas have become popular:
- mix equal amounts of primrose, birch and nettle leaves, then pour 2 tablespoons of decoction with 1 liter of boiling water and steep overnight, drinking half a glass, 5 times a day;
- mix fresh egg yolks with turpentine and apple cider vinegar in equal proportions, rub the resulting mixture on the painful area, then wrap it with a woolen towel, incubate overnight;
- 2 teaspoons of celery juice taken 3 times a day;
- squeeze water from one head of cabbage, soak a woolen cloth in it and apply as a gauze;
- boil oatmeal until a paste is obtained, cool and apply in the form of a compress at night;
- medicinal root elecampane (25 g) press 150 ml of vodka for 12 days, rub at night.
Traditional medicine will not replace drugs, but will be a great complement to them.
Basic principles when using traditional medicine
Using folk remedies, you must adhere to the following general rules:
- before using one of the recipes, it is imperative to consult a doctor, who, after a detailed examination, may indicate possible complications;
- it is important not only to consult a specialist, but also to test for an allergic reaction yourself - for this, a small amount of the product is applied to the inside of the wrist for 2 hours;
- It is not recommended to exceed the dosage, since in this case the risk of side effects increases;
- the use of fresh infusions and ointments is encouraged, as harvesting for future use is not suitable for all formulations;
- If undesirable effects occur, treatment should be discontinued and other remedies selected.
To protect yourself from complications, you should follow these simple rules.
Special exercises
Therapeutic exercises are provided to prevent ligament weakening and muscle atrophy. Gymnastics is selected individually, depending on the patient's condition and the course of the disease. This is done by a physiotherapist.
Exercises are prohibited during exacerbations, as well as earlier than 6 days after the elimination of severe pain. The main task in performing therapeutic exercises is to restore mobility and flexibility.
Non-traditional ways
Non-traditional methods of treating this condition include hirudotherapy, acupuncture, and acupuncture.
Leeches are used in hirudotherapy. Despite the fact that this method is not medical, it is quite effective. Leeches are placed on special spots that correspond to certain active zones. This helps to increase microcirculation in the tissues, eliminates muscle spasms and reduces swelling. The medicinal saliva of leeches has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
Acupuncture is based on activating certain points with needles. A lighted wormwood stick can also sometimes be used as an alternative. The effect is similar to that of hirudotherapy. Metabolism is markedly improved, blood circulation is increased, pain syndrome is relieved.
All of the above procedures should only be performed by specialists. Otherwise, instead of improving, the condition may worsen significantly.
Massotherapy
The most desirable outcome of therapeutic massage is the restoration of function of the affected joint. However, this can happen when the degenerative joint condition is in its early stages of development. Massage should only be performed by a specialist. Sometimes patients are allowed to do it themselves, but to do this it is necessary to learn these techniques. Before the procedure, the affected area is warmed up using regular warm showers or therapeutic exercises.
One of the types is hydromassage, which is performed by soaking in a warm bath. The whole course is up to 20 procedures. They are recommended to be repeated at least twice a year. If the massage is done properly, after the massage there will be a pleasant feeling of warmth and relaxation. To achieve the desired result, it is necessary to gradually increase the duration of the procedure.
Only an integrated approach allows you to get rid of the symptoms of joint disease and avoid exacerbations.