Osteoarthritis involves damage to the joints and degenerative-dystrophic changes in them. This requires competent and timely treatment. It may involve a set of conservative methods or suggest the need for surgery.
Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease of degenerative-dystrophic nature. It includes destruction of cartilage and pathological changes in the capsule, synovium, ligament apparatus and adjacent bone structures. Pathology requires an integrated approach to treatment.
Medicine
One of the main areas of conservative treatment of osteoarthritis is the use of drugs. The following medications are usually prescribed:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They relieve inflammation, pain and fever.
- Glucocorticosteroids. These drugs also relieve inflammation and pain, but are more effective.
- Pain medications. These include analgesics and some NSAIDs.
- Chondroprotectors. Such drugs are used in long courses. They are needed to repair the affected cartilage structures.
- Muscle relaxants and antispasmodics. These drugs also relieve pain by eliminating muscle spasms.
- If osteoarthritis is a consequence of gout, then anti-gout medications are needed.
- Vasodilators. Such drugs have a vasodilating effect.
- Compresses are effective in treating osteoarthritis, for which medical bile and other means are used.
- Vitamin and mineral complexes. They are needed to activate immunity, normalize the metabolism of the material and metabolic processes, fill in the missing elements and their absorption. Calcium supplements are usually prescribed.
Individual drug choices are often wrong. The attending physician should prescribe drugs and determine the characteristics of their use.
Physiotherapy
Treatment of osteoarthritis usually involves various 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 in osteoarthritis:
- laser therapy- heat exposure to stimulate regeneration;
- magnetotherapy- increase vascular tone, activation of metabolic processes, accelerate recovery, relieve inflammation;
- ozokeritotherapy- heating to improve microcirculation and relieve pain;
- electrophoresis- application of drugs by electric current;
- cryotherapy- exposure to low temperatures to relieve swelling, pain, reduce muscle tone;
- ultrasound- exposure to high frequency sound to improve the metabolism of the material;
- UHF therapy- softening of calcium deposits, normalization of material metabolism, reduction of edema;
- homeosiniatria- the introduction of homeopathic medicines in biologically active points.
Physiotherapy procedures have contraindications. These include exacerbation of the inflammatory process, pregnancy and active tuberculosis. There are also a number of restrictions on individual procedures.
Massage
Massage is used in remission of osteoarthritis or in the subacute period. In acute disease, such treatment is excluded, as the affected joints need complete rest.
Massage for osteoarthritis provides the following effects:
- pain relief;
- return to mobility, elimination of stiffness;
- activation of blood circulation and lymph flow;
- prevention of muscle atrophy, strengthening of the muscular corset;
- improvement of metabolic processes and tissue trophism.
The characteristics of the massage depend on which joints are affected. In any case, such therapy should be performed exclusively by a qualified professional. Before the massage he should assess the degree of mobility, the condition of the muscles, identify contractures, ankylosis, pain points.
The effectiveness of the massage is provided by its course application. The number of sessions is determined individually. Massage courses should be repeated periodically - their frequency is also chosen individually.
exercise therapy
Physiotherapy is actively used in osteoarthritis. It is needed to activate blood circulation and metabolic processes, restore joint mobility and strengthen the muscular corset. In the initial stage, training therapy should be performed under the supervision of an instructor.
In the future, you can do home gymnastics:
- Lie on your back on a hard surface and stretch your legs. Bend one leg at the knee, keeping the foot at a height of 5-10 cm from the floor. Fix in this position for 5 seconds, return to starting position. Do 5 reps in a row on each leg.
- The starting position is the same. Bend one leg and press it with your hands to the body. Fix for a few seconds. Then place your foot on the floor and slowly straighten your limb. Do 10-15 reps for each leg.
- The starting position is the same. Raise your upright leg 25-30 cm above the floor and fix it for a few seconds. Return to starting position. Do 20-30 reps on each leg in turn.
- Lie on your stomach. Bend your knees in turn, trying to reach your butt with your heels, but without lifting your hips off the floor. Do 20-50 reps for each leg.
- The starting position is the same. Bend your knees in sequence, fixing for a few seconds at the end point. Do 10 reps for each leg.
- Sit down and straighten your back. Alternate folding and unfolding the legs, maintaining a moderate pace. In the future, you can do the exercise with a little weight.
- The starting position is the same. Raise your legs to form a right angle. Fix for 3 seconds and return to starting position. Do 10 reps for each leg.
Osteoarthritis can affect different joints, so the set of exercises in each case must be special. It should be developed by a specialist, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient and his disease.
All exercises should be performed smoothly, abrupt movements are excluded. During gymnastics it is necessary to monitor your breathing - it should be calm and measured.
Lifestyle
The treatment of osteoarthritis includes some lifestyle changes:
- If you are overweight, you need to normalize it. This point is especially important in case of damage to the lower limbs.
- Moderate physical activity. High loads should be excluded, so you should not engage in professional sports. The best option is physiotherapy exercises and regular walking.
- Take care of your health. It is necessary to treat chronic diseases, periodic intake of vitamin-mineral complexes, preventive examinations by a doctor.
- The right choice of clothes and shoes. One should not feel shy. Tight clothing is fraught with blood stagnation, which is dangerous for osteoarthritis. Women should avoid high heels, shoes should be stable.
- Proper organization of sleep and work. All furniture should be comfortable. It must provide a position of the body that does not slow down blood circulation, does not cause leakage of the limbs. If you have traffic problems, you need to equip your home with special handles and railings.
Diet
In osteoarthritis it is imperative to follow a proper diet. The characteristics of the diet are individual and depend on many factors.
The basic principles of nutrition are as follows:
- Fractional feeding. You need 5-6 meals a day, and portions should be small.
- Proper metabolism is ensured by a sufficient amount of carbohydrates. The emphasis should be on complex carbohydrates - vegetables, fruits, berries, grains.
- Eliminate simple carbohydrates - sugar, pastries.
- Vegetable fats are needed to speed up metabolic processes. As for the oil, only a natural product is useful.
- To restore cartilage structures it is useful to use jelly meat, gelatin-based jelly.
- For cooking you should limit yourself to cooking, stewing and steaming.
- Exclude spicy, salty, fatty, fried foods from your diet. Refusal of fatty meat, fast food, corn oil.
- The diet should be enriched with milk, cottage cheese, other dairy and fermented dairy products. They must be fat-free or low-fat.
- You need foods rich in zinc and magnesium - liver, fish, nuts, pumpkin, legumes.
- Oranges and peppers are good sources of antioxidants. To relieve inflammation, you should use pomegranate, pineapple.
Special orthopedic aids
In the treatment of osteoarthritis, various devices are often used that 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 limbs. It is usually used in the later stages of the disease, as well as after surgery.
- Orthoses - used to fix the joints. This allows you to reduce or adjust the mobility of the joint, gradually increasing it.
- Bandages - also used to fix joints, an advantage after injuries and surgeries.
- Corsets are used to fix and straighten the trunk, mainly in the case of hip joints.
- Heel pads - provide cushioning, reduce load.
- Flat foot correction pads, foot relief.
- Correctors for deformed fingers.
- Silicone protectors to protect deformed fingers.
If the arthrosis is caused by flat feet, orthopedic shoes and special insoles should be used. Such a measure is also necessary in case of damage to the lower extremities to reduce the risk of complications.
Elongation of the joints
This technique is called traction. It can be manual or hardware. Traction is usually used when the hip or knee joints are affected.
Traction implies applying the course. On average, 10-12 sessions are needed. They can be performed daily or every other day.
Joint extension is a temporary measure and should be repeated periodically. In osteoarthritis, 2 courses are usually held per year.
Traditional medicine
The use of traditional medicine is suitable as an adjunct to treatment.
The following recipes are effective for osteoarthritis:
- Compresses with cabbage or horseradish leaves. The selected sheet should be washed or cut in several places, applied to the affected area, fixed with foil and insulated. It is also effective to dip the leaves in honey. Such a compress should be kept for several hours and done several times a day.
- Mix equal parts iodine (5%), ammonia (10%), medical bile, glycerin and may honey. Mix the ingredients and place in a dark place for a week and a half. Shake the mixture before use and heat the required volume in a water bath. Moisten a napkin in the composition, apply on the affected area, fix with cellophane and insulate. Make a compress at night until you recover.
- 50 g of dried elecampane root is poured with half a glass of vodka and left for 2 weeks in the dark. Rub the inflamed joints with the resulting product.
- Grind the eggshells into a powder, mix with kefir to make a thick mixture. Wrap it in linen and attach it to the affected area, fix it with polyethylene and strengthen it. Make a compress every day and keep it 2, 5 hours.
- Mix equal parts honey with glycerin, alcohol and iodine. Carefully apply the mixture with a cotton swab, moving from bottom to top.
- Pour a handful of oval oatmeal with half a liter of water and boil for 10 minutes. Apply heat to the affected area, fix with foil and insulate. Lasts an hour.
Natural medicines also have contraindications and side effects. Each new product should be used with caution, starting with the minimum dose and duration of use.
Surgical treatment
Surgical intervention is necessary in case of serious pathological changes, development of serious complications and ineffectiveness of the conservative approach.
Surgical treatment of osteoarthritis can be performed in the following ways:
- Arthroplasty- restoration of joint surfaces. The indication may be ankylosis, contractures. Such an operation is possible only in the absence of an acute inflammatory process.
- Arthrotomy- opening of the joint for removal of a foreign body, endoprosthesis, purulent contents.
- Arthrodesis- artificial ankylosis (immobilization of the joints) is created. The operation can be intra- and extra-articular.
- Resection- partial or complete removal of the joint surface and synovium to create immobility in the joint.
- Arthrosis- creating conditions to limit the mobility of the joints.
- Endoprosthesis- implant placement for complete or partial replacement of the affected joint.
- Periarticular osteotomy- bone feeding and exposure at a certain angle. This measure allows you to shift the center of gravity and redistribute the load.
Osteoarthritis is a serious disease that causes irreversible changes. Adequate treatment should be started as early as possible. It can be conservative or surgical and involves a number of different measures. The characteristics of the therapy are determined for each patient individually.