Treatment of arthrosis includes an integrated approach and a combination of several methods. Most treatment tactics consist of proper medication prescription. They can be supplemented with traditional medicine methods.
Main trends in modern treatment of arthrosis
After a complete examination, which includes establishing the main and secondary diagnosis, appropriate treatment of arthrosis begins.
It includes the following methods:
- lifestyle modification;
- drug correction;
- physiotherapy;
- operation.
The choice of method depends on the stage of the disease and the degree of destruction of joint structures. First you need to learn the following rules that will make the treatment more effective:
- Body weight correction;
- Exercise therapy – exercises that remove static load on the joint;
- Raising the level of knowledge about pathology in patients;
- Use of additional accessories (joint bandages, insoles, cane or orthoses);
- Physiotherapy.
The diagnosis is carried out by an orthopedist-traumatologist. However, other consulting professionals may participate in this process:
- neurologist: consultation is required in case of damage to intervertebral structures, radicular syndrome, severe back pain due to illness;
- infectologist: ruling out the infectious nature of joint diseases;
- oncologist: exclusion of malignant neoplasm of bone and joint tissue or metastases in these areas;
- Osteophtisiatrist: rule out the tuberculous nature of bone lesions.
During the disease, the prevention of complications of the pathology and its progression is carried out. To do this, it is necessary to use orthotics and fixing bandages, monitor body weight, diet and regularly visit the doctor. Consultations with a treatment specialist are required at least 2 times a year.
The effectiveness of the treatment meets the following criteria:
- Stopping the progression of the disease;
- New joints are not involved in the pathological process;
- Pain decreases or disappears;
- There are no signs of an inflammatory process;
- The quality of life, motor activity and work ability improves.
On the contrary, there are features of the course of the disease that require hospitalization and correction of recovery tactics:
- persistent and intense pain syndrome;
- severe inflammation of the joint and periarticular structures (the skin above the affected area is warm to the touch, redness, increase in size, pain and limitation of movement appear).
Medicines
The choice of drug complex depends on the stage of the process:
- I stage - non-drug correction methods, non-steroid drugs and drugs that strengthen cartilage tissue;
- II stage – non-drug correction methods, non-steroidal drugs and drugs that strengthen cartilage tissue, intra-articular application of maintenance therapy;
- III stage – non-drug correction methods, non-steroidal drugs and drugs that strengthen cartilage tissue, intra-articular application of maintenance therapy, antidepressants;
- IV stage – radical surgical intervention that includes excision of the affected tissue and installation of an artificial joint.
In addition, in case of severe pain, analgesics are used, and various ointments can be used to eliminate severe soft tissue inflammation.
Treatment of arthrosis is carried out according to established courses, the duration of which cannot be violated independently. Even if the condition seems to have improved, it is necessary to continue taking the drug, because it tends to accumulate in the body. In the same way, you cannot independently adjust the dose of the drug, either in the direction of its decrease or increase.
Medicines must be taken at the same time every day. Reception features - as instructed. If the patient is being treated for another pathology, the doctor must analyze the combined effect of all drugs and exclude dangerous combinations.
Drugs
Let's look at the main groups and examples of drugs.
Examples are given; the attending physician may also prescribe other representatives of these drug groups.
- Analgesics.They are used to relieve pain, which allows you to restore your range of motion and improve your quality of life.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.They reduce pain in the joints, remove swelling and redness of soft tissues, normalize the temperature of the skin over the joint and restore the range of motion.
- Chondroprotectors.They contain elements of animal cartilaginous tissue, which enables restoration of the joint structure, periarticular surfaces, ligaments and synovium. Slow down the progression of the process and strengthen healthy joints.
- Narcotic analgesic.It is used for emergency treatment in cases of severe pain. Duration of admission: once, as needed.
- Hyaluronic acid derivatives.A viscous implant containing hyaluronic acid is inserted intra-articularly. It improves the condition of ligaments, synovium and soft tissues. It enables water retention, improves the condition of collagen fibers, which makes the tissue elastic, resistant to injury and destruction.
- Glucocorticosteroids.It is used for severe inflammations. They allow you to effectively influence the pathology and act quickly.
Use of fat
Treatment of arthrosis includes the use of ointments. In some cases, they ease the patient's condition by relieving pain. However, this makes sense only in the first stages of the pathology. It is a fact that any drug that a patient takes orally is absorbed into the bloodstream in the digestive tract and through it acts on the joint tissue. If intravascular administration is used, the effect is achieved faster, and the effect on the mucous membrane is eliminated.
Applying the drug in the form of an ointment or gel results in the drug acting only on the skin and a small layer of soft tissue beneath it. The patient must understand that it does not affect the joint, but acts only symptomatically.
The following fats are used for this:
- containing non-steroidal drugs;
- containing salicylic acid;
- containing capsaicin.
It can also be an ointment or gel based on medicinal plants, which improve the condition of soft tissues and reduce sensitivity. It can be an ointment with menthol, camphor, eucalyptus or peppermint.
Traditional methods of treating arthrosis
Folk remedies include relief of pathological syndromes. Complete recovery from the disease cannot be achieved with such techniques, but are used in parallel with therapy and physical procedures. If you only take medicines that you have made yourself, the disease can progress and the patient will only waste time.
The following drugs have a symptomatic effect:
- poultice made of grated horseradish root. It is used daily for 7-9 days. A film and a warm cloth are placed on top of the root pulp. The duration of the treatment is 30 minutes;
- Oatmeal wrap is used on a similar principle. A creamy flake paste is prepared for this. After the mixture has cooled, it is applied to the joint;
- The honey compress can be left overnight. It is better to use Polish honey;
- A cabbage leaf with a layer of honey is applied to the affected joint. Fix and leave overnight;
- mix chalk powder with thick yogurt. Apply to the joint, wrap with a film, and on top with a warm natural cloth. Leave the compress overnight.
Diagnostics
Effective treatment of arthrosis is possible with a correct diagnosis. The following methods are used for this:
- clinical diagnosis, which includes the results of examination and examination of the patient;
- x-ray diagnostics, for which a healthy and affected joint is examined and their condition is compared;
- laboratory methods that allow you to exclude other causes of pathology;
- synovial fluid analysis;
- ultrasound examination for inflammation of soft tissues;
- tomography for a more detailed study of soft tissues and periarticular structures.