Osteoarthritis treatment involves an integrated approach and a combination of several methods. Most treatment tactics consist of correctly prescribing medications. They can be supplemented with traditional medicine methods.
Main trends in modern osteoarthritis treatment
After a complete examination, which includes drawing up the main and accompanying diagnoses, appropriate treatment of arthrosis begins.
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 the joint structures. First, you must learn the following rules that will make the treatment more effective:
- Correction of body weight;
- Exercise therapy – exercises that eliminate static load on the joint;
- Increase the level of knowledge about patients’ pathology;
- Use of additional accessories (joint bandages, insoles, cane or orthosis);
- Physiotherapy.
The diagnosis is made by an orthopedist-traumatologist. However, other specialists providing consultations may participate in this process:
- neurologist: consultation is necessary in case of damage to intervertebral structures, radicular syndrome, severe back pain due to the disease;
- infectious disease specialist: exclusion of infectious nature of joint diseases;
- oncologist: exclusion of malignant neoplasm of bone and joint tissue or metastases in these areas;
- Osteophthisiatrician: excludes the tuberculous nature of bone lesions.
During the disease, prevention of complications of pathology and its progression is carried out. To do this, it is necessary to use orthoses and fixation bandages, monitor body weight, nutrition and regularly consult a doctor. Consultations with a treating specialist are required at least 2 times a year.
The effectiveness of the treatment meets the following criteria:
- Stop the progression of the disease;
- New joints are not involved in the pathological process;
- The pain decreases or disappears;
- There are no signs of an inflammatory process;
- Quality of life, motor activity and work ability improve.
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 articular and periarticular structures (the skin over the affected area becomes hot to the touch, there is redness, increase in size, pain and limited movement).
Medication
The choice of a drug complex depends on the stage of the process:
- Stage I – non-drug correction methods, non-steroidal medications and medications that strengthen cartilaginous tissue;
- Stage II – non-drug correction methods, non-steroidal drugs and drugs that strengthen cartilaginous tissue, intra-articular administration of maintenance therapy;
- Stage III – non-drug correction methods, non-steroidal drugs and drugs that strengthen cartilaginous 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.
Also, 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 appears to be improved, it is necessary to continue taking the medication, as it tends to accumulate in the body. Likewise, it is not possible to independently adjust the dose of the medication, either to decrease or increase it.
Medications should be taken at the same time each day. Reception features - according to instructions. If the patient is being treated for another pathology, the doctor must analyze the combined effect of all medications and exclude dangerous combinations.
Drugs
Let's look at the main groups and examples of medicines.
Examples are given, the attending physician can prescribe other representatives of these groups of medicines.
- Painkillers.They are used to relieve pain, which allows you to restore range of motion and improve quality of life.
- Nonsteroidal 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 required.
- Hyaluronic acid derivatives.A viscous implant containing hyaluronic acid is inserted intra-articularly. Improves the condition of ligaments, synovium and soft tissues. Allows water retention, improves the state of collagen fibers, which makes the tissue elastic, resistant to injury and destruction.
- Glucocorticosteroids.Used for severe inflammation. They allow you to effectively influence the pathology and act quickly.
Use of ointments
The treatment of osteoarthritis involves the use of ointments. In some cases, they alleviate the patient's condition, relieving pain. However, this only makes sense in the early stages of the 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 articular tissue. If intravascular administration is used, the effect can be achieved more quickly and the effect on the mucous membrane is also eliminated.
Applying the medicine in the form of an ointment or gel causes the medicine to act 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 medications;
- 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 osteoarthritis
Folk remedies involve relieving pathological syndromes. Full recovery from an illness cannot be achieved using such techniques; they are used in parallel with therapy and physical procedures. If you only take self-made medicines, the disease may progress and the patient will only waste time.
The following medications have a symptomatic effect:
- compress of grated horseradish root. Used daily, for a period of 7 to 9 days. A film and a warm cloth are placed on the root pulp. The duration of the compress is 30 minutes;
- An oat 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 best to use wild honey;
- A cabbage leaf with a layer of honey is applied to the affected joint. Pack and leave overnight;
- mix powdered chalk with thick yogurt. Apply to the joint, wrap with film and top with a warm natural cloth. Leave the compress overnight.
Diagnosis
Effective treatment of osteoarthritis 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 make it possible to exclude other causes of pathology;
- synovial fluid analysis;
- ultrasound examination for soft tissue inflammation;
- tomography for a more detailed study of soft tissues and periarticular structures.