How is osteoarthritis treated? 10 approaches to therapy

Osteoarthritis involves damage to the joints and their degenerative-dystrophic changes. This requires competent and timely treatment. It may involve a complex of conservative methods or indicate the need for surgical intervention.

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.

Medications

One of the main areas of conservative treatment of osteoarthritis is the use of drugs. The following medications are usually prescribed:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They relieve inflammation, pain and fever.
• Glucocorticosteroids. These medications also relieve inflammation and pain, but are more effective.
• Painkillers. They include analgesics and some NSAIDs.
• Chondroprotectors. Such drugs are used in long courses. They are necessary for the restoration of the affected cartilage structures.
• Muscle relaxants and antispasmodics. These medications also relieve pain by removing muscle cramps.
• If osteoarthritis is caused by gout, then anti-gout medications are needed.
• Vasodilators. Such drugs have a vasodilating effect.
• Wraps are effective in treating osteoarthritis, for which medical bile and other agents are used.
• Vitamin-mineral complexes. They are necessary for activating immunity, normalizing the metabolism of materials and metabolic processes, compensating for the missing elements and their assimilation. Calcium supplements are usually prescribed.

Self-medication is often wrong. A doctor who should prescribe drugs and determine the characteristics of their use.

Physiotherapy

Treatment of osteoarthritis usually involves a variety of 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;
• magnetotherapy- increase in vascular tone, activation of metabolic processes, acceleration of recovery, alleviation of inflammation;
• ozokeritotherapy- warming 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 material metabolism;
• UHF therapy- softening of calcium deposits, normalization of material metabolism, reduction of edema;
• homeosiniatry- introduction of homeopathic medicines in biologically active points.

Physiotherapy procedures have contraindications. These include worsening of the inflammatory process, pregnancy and active tuberculosis. There are also a number of limitations to individual procedures.

Massage

Massage is used in remission of arthrosis or in the subacute period. In acute disease, such treatment is excluded, because the affected joints need complete rest.

Osteoarthritis massage provides the following effects:

• pain relief;
• return of mobility, removal 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 only by a qualified professional. Before the massage, the degree of mobility, muscle condition, contractures, ankylosis, pain should be assessed.

The effectiveness of massage is ensured by its course application. The number of sessions is determined individually. Massage courses must be repeated from time to time - their frequency is also chosen on an individual basis.

exercise therapy

Physiotherapy is actively used for osteoarthritis. It is needed to activate blood circulation and metabolic processes, restore joint mobility and strengthen the muscular corset. In the initial phase, exercise therapy should be done under the supervision of an instructor.

You can do home gymnastics in the future:

• Lie on your back on a firm surface and stretch your legs. Bend one leg at the knee, keeping the foot at a height of 5-10 cm from the floor. Hold in this position for 5 seconds, return to starting position. Do 5 reps alternately on each leg.
• The starting position is the same. Bend one leg and press it with your hands next to your 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. Lift the straightened 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 a row.
• Lie on your stomach. Alternately bend your knees, trying to reach the buttocks with your heels, but without lifting your hips off the floor. Do 20-50 reps for each leg.
• The starting position is the same. Alternately bend your knees, fixing for a few seconds at the end point. Do 10 reps for each leg.
• Sit down and straighten your back. Alternately bend and bend your 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 leg to form a right angle. Hold for 3 seconds and return to starting position. Do 10 reps for each leg.

Osteoarthritis can affect different joints, so the set of exercises should be special in each case. 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, sharp movements are excluded. During gymnastics, it is necessary to monitor your breathing - it should be calm and measured.

Lifestyle

Treatment for osteoarthritis 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. Heavy loads should be excluded, so you should not engage in professional sports. The best options are physiotherapy exercises and regular walking.
• Careful attitude towards 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. The person should not feel shy. Tight clothing is full of blood stagnation, which is dangerous in arthrosis. Women should avoid high heels, shoes should be stable.
• Proper organization of sleep and workplace. All furniture should be comfortable. It should ensure such a position of the body that does not slow down blood circulation, does not cause limb flow. If you have trouble moving, you should equip your home with special handles and handrails.

Diet

With osteoarthritis, it is necessary to follow a proper diet. The characteristics of the diet are individual and depend on many factors.

The general principles of nutrition are as follows:

• Fractional nutrition. You need 5-6 meals a day and the portions should be small.
• Proper metabolism ensures 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 needed to speed up metabolic processes. As for butter, only a natural product is useful.
• It is useful to use jelly jelly, gelatin-based jelly, to restore cartilage structures.
• For cooking you have to limit yourself to boiling, stewing and steaming.
• Exclude spicy, salty, fatty, fried foods from your diet. Rejection of fatty meat, fast food, corn oil.
• The diet should be enriched with milk, fresh cheese, other dairy and fermented dairy products. They should be fat-free or non-fat.
• You need foods rich in zinc and magnesium - liver, fish, nuts, pumpkins, legumes.
• Oranges and peppers are good sources of antioxidants. To relieve inflammation, you need to use pomegranate, pineapple.

Special orthopedic devices

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:

• Rod - 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.
• 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 strengthen joints, an advantage after injuries and surgeries.
• Corsets - used to tighten and straighten the torso, mainly for the hip joints.
• Heel pads - provide cushioning, reduce load.
• Pencils for correction of flat feet, foot relief.
• Deformed finger straighteners.
• 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 needed in case of damage to the lower extremities to reduce the risk of complications.

Stretching 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.

Towing involves applying the course. On average, 10-12 sessions are required. They can be performed daily or every other day.

Joint expansion is a temporary measure and should be repeated periodically. In osteoarthritis, 2 courses per year are usually performed.

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 must be washed or chopped in several places, applied to the affected area, fixed with foil and insulated. It is also effective to pre-soak the leaf in honey. Such a compress should be kept for several hours and done several times a day.
• Mix equal parts of iodine (5%), ammonia (10%), medicinal bile, glycerin and may honey. Mix the ingredients and put in a dark place for a week and a half. Shake the mixture before use and heat the required amount in a water bath. Moisten a napkin in the composition, apply to the affected area, fix with cellophane and insulate. At night, make a compress until recovery.
• Pour 50 g of dried elecampane root with half a glass of vodka and leave for 2 weeks in the dark. Rub the resulting product on painful joints.
• Grind the egg shells into a powder, mix with the kefir to get a thick mixture. Wrap it in linen and fasten to the affected area, fix with polyethylene and strengthen. Make a compress every day and hold it for 2, 5 hours.
• Mix equal parts of honey with glycerin, alcohol and iodine. Gently apply the mixture with a cotton pad, moving from the bottom up.
• Pour a handful of rolled oats with half a liter of water and cook for 10 minutes. Apply warm to the affected area, fix with foil and insulate. Last an hour.

Natural remedies also have contraindications and side effects. Each new product must be used carefully, 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 inefficiency of the conservative approach.

Surgical treatment of osteoarthritis can be performed in the following ways:

• Arthroplasty- restoration of joint surfaces. Indications may be ankylosis, contractures. Such an operation is possible only in the absence of an acute inflammatory process.
• Arthrotomy- opening of the joint to remove a foreign body, endoprosthetics, purulent contents.
• Arthrodesis- ankylosis (joint immobility) is artificially created. Surgery can be intra- and extra-articular.
• Resection- partial or complete removal of the joint surface and synovium to create immobility in the joint.
• Arthrorisis- creating conditions to limit joint mobility.
• Endoprosthetics- implant placement for complete or partial replacement of the affected joint.
• Periarticular osteotomy- submission of bones and their 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 on an individual basis.