Arthrosis involves damage to the joints and degenerative dystrophic changes in them. This requires competent and timely treatment. It may include a complex of conservative methods or imply the need for surgical intervention.
Arthrosis is a chronic disease of degenerative dystrophic nature. It involves the destruction of cartilage and pathological changes in the capsule, synovium, ligamentous apparatus and adjacent bone structures. Pathology requires an integrated approach to treatment.
Medication
One of the main areas of conservative treatment for osteoarthritis is the use of medications. The following drugs are commonly prescribed:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They relieve inflammation, pain and fever.
- Glucocorticosteroids. These drugs also relieve inflammation and pain, but are more effective.
- Pain medications. This includes pain killers and some NSAIDs.
- Chondroprotectors. These drugs are used in long courses. They are necessary for the restoration of the affected cartilage structures.
- Muscle relaxants and antispasmodics. These drugs also relieve pain by eliminating muscle spasms.
- If arthrosis is a consequence of gout, anti-gout drugs are needed.
- Vasodilators. These drugs have a vasodilatory effect.
- Compresses are effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis, for which medicinal bile and other means are used.
- Vitamin and mineral complexes. They are necessary to activate immunity, normalize material metabolism and metabolic processes, replace missing elements and assimilate them. Calcium supplements are generally prescribed.
Self-choice of drugs is often mistaken. The attending physician must prescribe medication and determine the characteristics of its use.
Physiotherapy
Treatment of arthrosis usually includes several physiotherapy procedures. They are used as part of conservative therapy and are prescribed after surgery to speed recovery and reduce the risk of complications.
The following procedures are effective for osteoarthritis:
- laser therapy- exposure to heat to stimulate regeneration;
- magnetoterapia- increasing vascular tone, activating metabolic processes, accelerating recovery, relieving inflammation;
- ozokeritoterapia- heating to improve microcirculation and relieve pain;
- electrophoresis- administration of drugs by means of electric current;
- cryotherapy- exposure to low temperatures to relieve swelling, pain and reduce muscle tone;
- ultrasound- exposure to high frequency sounds to improve the metabolism of the material;
- UHF therapy- softening of calcium deposits, normalization of material metabolism, reduction of edema;
- homeosiniatry- the introduction of homeopathic remedies in biologically active sites.
Physiotherapy procedures have contraindications. This includes exacerbation of the inflammatory process, pregnancy, active tuberculosis. There are also several restrictions for individual procedures.
Massage
Massage is used to remedy arthrosis or in the subacute period. In acute illness, this treatment is excluded, since the affected joints need complete rest.
The osteoarthritis massage provides the following effects:
- pain relief;
- return of mobility, elimination of stiffness;
- activation of blood circulation and lymphatic flow;
- prevention of muscular atrophy, strengthening of the muscular corset;
- improvement of metabolic processes and tissue trophism.
The characteristics of the massage depend on the affected joints. In any case, this therapy must be performed exclusively by a qualified specialist. Before the massage, he must assess the degree of mobility, the state of the muscles, identify contractures, ankylosis, pain points.
The effectiveness of massage is provided by the application of the course. The number of sessions is determined individually. Periodically, massage courses need to be repeated - their frequency is also selected individually.
exercise therapy
Physiotherapy is actively used for osteoarthritis. It is necessary to activate blood circulation and metabolic processes, restore joint mobility and strengthen the muscle corset. In the initial stage, exercise therapy should be performed under the supervision of an instructor.
In the future, you can do gymnastics at home:
- Lie on your back on a firm surface and stretch your legs. Bend one leg at the knee, keeping your foot 5 to 10 cm off the floor. Hold in this position for 5 seconds, return to the starting position. Do 5 repetitions alternately on each leg.
- The starting position is the same. Bend one leg and press your hands against your body. Correct for a few seconds. Then place your foot on the floor and slowly straighten your limb. Do 10-15 repetitions for each leg.
- The starting position is the same. Lift the stretched leg 25-30 cm above the floor and fix it for a few seconds. Return to the starting position. Do 20-30 repetitions on each leg at a time.
- Lie on your stomach. Bend your knees alternately, trying to reach your buttocks with your heels, but without lifting your hips off the floor. Do 20-50 repetitions for each leg.
- The starting position is the same. Bend your knees alternately, holding for a few seconds at the extreme point. Do 10 repetitions for each leg.
- Sit down and straighten your back. Alternately, bend and unfold your legs, maintaining a moderate pace. In the future, you can do the exercise with a small weight.
- The starting position is the same. Lift your leg to form a right angle. Set for 3 seconds and return to the starting position. Do 10 repetitions for each leg.
Osteoarthritis can affect different joints, so the set of exercises in each case must be special. It must be developed by a specialist, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient and his illness.
All exercises must be performed smoothly, sudden movements are excluded. It is necessary to monitor breathing during gymnastics - it must be calm and restrained.
Lifestyle
Arthrosis treatment involves some lifestyle changes:
- If you are overweight, you need to normalize it. This moment is especially important in case of damage to the lower extremities.
- Moderate physical activity. High loads should be excluded, so you should not be playing professional sports. The best option is physical therapy and regular walks.
- Attitude attentive to the state of your health. Treatment of chronic diseases, periodic intake of vitamin and mineral complexes, preventive examinations by a doctor are necessary.
- The right choice of clothes and shoes. A person should not feel shy. Tight clothes are full of blood stagnation, which is dangerous for osteoarthritis. Women should avoid high heels, shoes should be stable.
- Correct organization of sleeping and working places. All furniture must be comfortable. It must provide a body position that does not slow blood flow, does not cause the flow of limbs. If you have movement problems, you should equip your home with special handles and handrails.
Diet
In arthrosis, it is imperative to follow proper nutrition. The characteristics of the diet are individual and depend on many factors.
The general principles of nutrition are as follows:
- Fractional nutrition. You need 5 to 6 meals a day, and portions should be small.
- Proper metabolism is guaranteed by a sufficient amount of carbohydrates. Emphasis should be placed on complex carbohydrates - vegetables, fruits, berries, cereals.
- Elimination of simple carbohydrates - sugar, sweets.
- Vegetable fats are necessary to speed up metabolic processes. As for butter, only a natural product is useful.
- To restore cartilaginous structures, it is useful to use gelled meat, gelatin-based gelatin.
- To cook, you need to limit yourself to cooking, steaming and steaming.
- Exclusion from the diet of spicy, salty, fatty and fried foods. Refusal of fatty meat, fast food, corn oil.
- Nutrition should be enriched with milk, cottage cheese, other dairy products and fermented dairy products. They must be fat-free or low-fat.
- You need foods rich in zinc and magnesium - liver, fish, nuts, pumpkin, vegetables.
- Oranges and peppers are good sources of antioxidants. To relieve inflammation, you need to use pomegranate, pineapple.
Special orthopedic devices
In the treatment of arthrosis, several devices are often used to make the patient's life easier and reduce the risk of some complications.
The following constructions are used in orthopedics:
- Cane - used to redistribute the load in case of damage to the lower extremities. It is usually used in the later stages of the disease, as well as after surgery.
- Orthotics - used to fix joints. This allows to reduce or adjust the mobility of the joint, increasing it gradually.
- Bandages - are also used to secure joints, an advantage after injuries and operations.
- Corsets are used to fix and straighten the torso, especially in the hip joints.
- Heel pads - provide cushioning, reduce the load.
- Linings for correction of flat feet, foot relief.
- Correctors for deformed fingers.
- Silicone protectors to protect deformed fingers.
If arthrosis is caused by flat feet, orthopedic shoes and special insoles should be worn. This measure is also necessary in case of damage to the lower extremities to reduce the risk of complications.
Joint extension
This technique is called traction. It can be manual or hardware. Traction is generally used when the hip or knee joints are affected.
Traction implies applying the stroke. On average, 10-12 sessions are required. They can be performed daily or on alternate days.
The joint extension is a temporary measure and should be repeated periodically. In arthrosis, there are usually 2 courses per year.
Traditional medicine
The use of traditional medicine is appropriate as an auxiliary direction in treatment.
The following recipes are effective for osteoarthritis:
- Compresses with cabbage leaves or horseradish. The selected leaf must be washed or chopped in several places, applied to the affected area, fixed with aluminum foil and isolated. It is also effective for dipping the leaf in honey. This compress must be kept for several hours and made several times a day.
- Mix equal parts of iodine (5%), ammonia (10%), medicinal bile, glycerin and May honey. Mix the ingredients and place in a dark place for a week and a half. Before using, stir the mixture and heat the required volume in a water bath. Moisten a napkin in the composition, apply to the affected area, fix with cellophane and insulate. Make the compress at night until you recover.
- 50 g of elecampane dry root pour half a glass of vodka and leave for 2 weeks in the dark. Rub the aching joints with the resulting product.
- Grind egg shells to powder, mix with kefir to make a thick mixture. Wrap in linen and fasten in the affected area, fix with polyethylene and strengthen. Make a compress every day and store for 2, 5 hours.
- Mix equal parts of honey with glycerin, alcohol and iodine. Gently apply the mixture with a cotton pad, moving from bottom to top.
- Pour a handful of rolled oats with half a liter of water and boil for 10 minutes. Apply hot on the affected area, fix with aluminum foil and insulate. Supports an hour.
Natural remedies also have contraindications and side effects. Each new product should be used with caution, starting with the minimum dosage and duration of use.
Surgical Treatment
Surgical intervention is necessary in case of severe pathological changes, the development of serious complications and the ineffectiveness of a conservative approach.
Surgical treatment of arthrosis can be performed in the following ways:
- Arthroplasty- restoration of joint surfaces. The indication can be ankylosis, contractures. This operation is only possible in the absence of an acute inflammatory process.
- Arthrotomy- opening of the joint to remove a foreign body, endoprosthesis, purulent content.
- Arthrodesis- ankylosis (joint immobility) is created artificially. The operation can be intra and extra-articular.
- Resection- partial or complete removal of the joint surface and synovium to create immobility within the joint.
- Arthrorisis- creating conditions to limit joint mobility.
- Endoprosthesis- placement of an implant for complete or partial replacement of the affected joint.
- Periarticular osteotomy- file and expose the bones at a certain angle. This measure allows you to change the center of gravity and redistribute the load.
Arthrosis is a serious disease that causes irreversible changes. It is necessary to start appropriate treatment as soon as possible. It can be conservative or surgical and involves a number of different measures. Therapy features are determined for each patient individually.