Treatment of arthrosis involves an integrated approach and a combination of several methods. Most of the treatment tactics consist of the correct prescription of medications. They can be supplemented with traditional medicine methods.
Main trends in modern treatment of arthrosis
After a full examination, which includes making the main and accompanying diagnoses, appropriate treatment for arthrosis begins.
It includes the following methods:
- lifestyle modification;
- drug correction;
- physiotherapy;
- surgery.
The choice of method depends on the stage of the disease and the degree of destruction of articular structures. First, you should learn the following rules that will make treatment more effective:
- Correction of body weight;
- Exercise therapy – exercises that eliminate static load on the joint;
- Increasing the level of knowledge about pathology in patients;
- The use of additional accessories (joint bandages, insoles, cane or orthosis);
- Physiotherapy.
Diagnosis is carried out by an orthopedist-traumatologist. However, other specialists who provide consultations may participate in this process:
- neurologist: consultation is required in case of damage to intervertebral structures, radicular syndrome, severe back pain due to the disease;
- infectious diseases specialist: exclusion of infectious nature of joint disease;
- oncologist: exclusion of malignant neoplasm of bone and joint tissue or metastases to these areas;
- Osteophthisiatrist: exclude the tuberculous nature of bone lesions.
During illness, prevention of complications of the pathology and its progression is carried out. To do this, it is necessary to use orthoses and fixing bandages, monitor body weight, nutrition, and regularly see a doctor. Consultations with a treating specialist are required at least 2 times a year.
The effectiveness of 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 ability to work improves.
On the contrary, there are features of the course of the disease that require hospitalization and correction of tactics for recovery:
- persistent and intense pain syndrome;
- severe inflammation of the joint and periarticular structures (the skin over the affected area is warm to the touch, there is redness, an increase in size, pain and limitation of movement).
Medicines
The choice of a complex of drugs depends on the stage of the process:
- Stage I – non-drug correction methods, non-steroidal drugs and drugs that strengthen cartilage tissue;
- Stage II – non-drug correction methods, non-steroidal drugs and drugs that strengthen cartilage tissue, intra-articular administration of maintenance therapy;
- Stage III – non-drug correction methods, non-steroidal drugs and drugs that strengthen cartilage tissue, intra-articular administration of maintenance therapy, antidepressants;
- Stage IV – radical surgical intervention involving 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 inflammation of soft tissues.
Treatment of arthrosis is carried out according to established courses, the duration of which cannot be violated independently. Even if the condition seems 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 medication, either in the direction of decreasing it or increasing it.
The medications must be taken at the same time every day. Features of reception - according to the instructions. 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 medications.
Examples are given; the attending physician may prescribe other representatives of these groups of drugs.
- Analgesics.They are used to relieve pain, which allows you to restore range of motion and improve the quality of life.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.They reduce joint pain, eliminate swelling and redness of soft tissues, normalize the temperature of the skin over the joint and restore range of motion.
- Chondroprotectors.They contain elements of animal cartilaginous tissue, which makes it possible to restore the structure of the joint, periarticular surfaces, ligaments and synovium. Slow down the progression of the process and strengthen healthy joints.
- Narcotic analgesic.Used for emergency relief in cases of intense pain. Duration of admission: once, if necessary.
- Derivatives of hyaluronic acid.A viscous implant containing hyaluronic acid is inserted intra-articularly. It improves the condition of ligaments, synovium and soft tissues. Allows water retention, improves the condition of collagen fibers, which makes tissue elastic, resistant to injury and destruction.
- Glucocorticosteroids.Used for severe inflammation. They allow you to effectively influence pathology and act quickly.
Use of ointments
Treatment of arthrosis does involve the use of ointments. In some cases, they alleviate the patient's condition by relieving pain. However, this makes sense only in the first stages of pathology. The fact is that any medication that the 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 can be achieved faster, and the effect on the mucous membrane is also 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 underneath it. The patient must understand that it does not affect the joint, but only acts symptomatically.
The following ointments 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. This can be an ointment with menthol, camphor, eucalyptus or peppermint.
Traditional methods of treating arthrosis
Folk remedies involve alleviating pathology syndromes. Full recovery from an illness cannot be achieved using such techniques; they are used in parallel with therapy and physical procedures. If you take only self-made medications, the disease can progress and the patient will only waste time.
The following drugs have a symptomatic effect:
- compress of grated horseradish root. Used daily, in a course of 7-9 days. A film and warm cloth are placed on top of the root pulp. The duration of the compress is 30 minutes;
- An oatmeal compress is used according to a similar principle. For this, a creamy paste of flakes is prepared. After the mixture has cooled, it is applied to the joint;
- The honey compress can be left overnight. It is better to use field 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 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 questioning 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.