Causes, symptoms and treatment of arthrosis

Arthrosis is a disease whose symptoms everyone should know.This dangerous and very common pathology can be almost invisible in the early stages, however, as it progresses, it can cause unbearable pain and even lead to disability.We will talk about how to avoid it in our article.

Why does arthrosis occur and when should it be treated?

Painful sensations in the joints, "clicks" during movement and reduced mobility of the limbs often go unnoticed: most people do not attach importance to such signals from the body.Meanwhile, these symptoms may indicate a serious disease - arthrosis.

Arthrosis deformans is a disease that involves the destruction and thinning of articular cartilage tissue.In this case, the joint tissue becomes looser and grows, which ultimately leads to the appearance of bone spurs and inflammation inside the joint.

In the early stage, patients feel slight discomfort when moving, which they may not pay attention to.In the second stage of the disease, there is severe pain that leads to limited mobility of the joints.The third stage, in addition to pain, is followed by complete or almost complete destruction of the articular cartilage tissue.

With the help of timely therapy, you can significantly slow down the development of arthrosis, help maintain limb mobility and avoid serious surgical interventions - which is why it is important to contact a rheumatologist at the first symptoms.

Treatment of arthrosis

From the point of view of European medicine, the treatment of such a serious disease as arthrosis requires an integrated approach, taking into account symptoms in different stages of the disease.The complex of therapeutic measures, in addition to medication, includes weight loss measures, kinesiotherapy, physiotherapy, and surgical intervention is also prescribed if necessary.The treatment program is drawn up by a rheumatologist, taking into account the localization of the disease, the characteristics of the patient's body, but necessarily includes a whole series of actions aimed at suppressing the manifestations of the disease.

Drug treatment

The first task that occurs in the treatment of arthrosis is the relief of pain and inflammation in the joint.For this purpose, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, ketorolac, piroxicam, diclofenac and their derivatives are prescribed - in the form of tablets, injections, gels, ointments or rectal suppositories.Remember that the use of this group of drugs only relieves the main symptoms of the disease.Moreover, long-term use of NSAIDs can accelerate the process of cartilage destruction, so they must be used with great caution and only as recommended by a doctor.

The use of analgesics is another way to relieve the patient of pain.Unlike NSAIDs, analgesics alleviate inflammatory processes to a lesser extent, but are more effective in the fight against pain.If muscle spasms occur, antispasmodics, such as Mydocalm, are prescribed.Both groups of drugs are most often used in the form of injections to alleviate the symptoms of arthrosis, but they are ineffective in controlling the disease itself.

Chondroprotectors are one of the most important components in the treatment of arthrosis with drugs: they saturate the cartilage tissue with nutrients, stimulating cell growth.The group of chondroprotectors includes, for example, glucosamine, produced in the form of tablets or capsules.You should not expect a quick effect from the use of chondroprotectors: an improvement in the condition of the cartilage can be noticed only after long-term use of the drugs.In addition, it will not help if the disease has reached the third, most severe stage.

Vasodilators are used to improve blood flow and relieve spasms of small blood vessels.Taking such drugs in combination with chondroprotectors enhances the effect of the latter: nutrients enter the cartilage tissue in a larger volume.

Physiotherapy

1. Shock wave therapy.Using shock wave therapy (SWT) for arthrosis allows us to eliminate one of the main causes of pain: spiny bone processes - osteophytes.Under the influence of ultrasound waves, the "spikes" soften and dissolve over time, improving the efficiency of blood flow and metabolic processes.Despite all its advantages, shock wave therapy is effective only in the early stages of arthrosis and has many contraindications, so it is prescribed with caution.
2. Automatic electromyostimulation with verticalization.The use of electrical impulses for muscle contraction is recommended primarily for bedridden patients, as well as for severe injuries, when necessary physical exercises are contraindicated.Although electromyostimulation is not the most common purpose of arthrosis, its application helps to increase muscle tone and improve blood circulation, which positively affects the dynamics of recovery.
3. Ultraphonophoresis.This procedure combines two types of effects - ultrasound waves and drugs.As a result, phonophoresis allows you to significantly increase the effect of drugs: thanks to ultrasound, their substances are delivered to the "target" cells and absorbed much more actively.
4. Ozone therapy.Introducing a mixture of gases into the joint capsule reduces pain and inflammation, helps restore joint mobility and improves blood circulation.As a rule, ozone therapy is prescribed in several injections, depending on the severity of the disease.

Methods of traditional Chinese medicine

In Chinese medicine, restoration of joint health begins with diagnostics, during which the general condition of the body is assessed and the underlying cause of arthrosis is determined.Then the doctor draws up a program for influencing biologically active points.Complex treatment of arthrosis includes the following TCM methods:

• acupuncture (acupuncture) - placement of the finest needles on points in a certain combination;
• phytocompresses - "squeezes" from medicinal herbs;
• moxa therapy - heating with wormwood cigars;
• Tuina acupressure.

In this case, the main attention is paid to acupuncture as the most effective method of treatment in traditional Chinese medicine.The results of the therapy largely depend on the qualifications of the specialist.Being in the hands of an expert doctor, the patient will soon be able to notice an improvement in well-being, accompanied by pain relief, restoration of joint mobility, strengthening of the immune system, normalization of circulation and metabolism[2].

Other methods of non-surgical treatment of arthrosis:

• Therapeutic exercise.Exercise therapy for osteoarthritis is considered an excellent way to improve blood circulation in the area of the affected joint, as well as to strengthen the muscles.As a rule, the doctor recommends that you start with simple exercises and gradually increase the number of repetitions.
• Mechanotherapy.Physical therapy can be supplemented with mechanotherapy - exercises using special simulators.The devices allow you to increase the load during gymnastics (due to different weights), while protecting the painful joint from damage.Like exercise therapy, mechanotherapy helps improve blood circulation and increase muscle tone.
• Joint traction.The essence of the procedure is mechanical "stretching" of the joint using a special device for 15-20 minutes.This allows you to reduce the load on the joint, slow down the development of arthrosis and significantly reduce the patient's pain.A course consisting of 10-12 sessions is conducted approximately once every six months in order to improve and consolidate the result.
• Lymphatic drainage and warming massage.These procedures help to warm the affected area, relieve spasms and pain, and improve blood circulation in the joints.Lymphatic drainage and warming massage can also be used if the patient has limited mobility.
• Prescribing dietary nutrition.Weight correction is one of the ways to significantly reduce the load on the joint and slow down the development of arthrosis.Of course, maintaining a diet by itself does not contribute to recovery, but in combination with other procedures it can give a certain effect.
• Lifestyle correction.To fight arthrosis, the patient will have to significantly reconsider his usual lifestyle and start wearing only comfortable shoes, using only comfortable furniture, and women will have to give up high heels.It is also advisable to get rid of bad habits and eliminate excessive physical activity.In some cases, wearing orthotics and regular visits to the pool and sauna will be beneficial.You can get a comprehensive list of recommendations from the attending physician, which he will compile based on the patient's condition.

Surgical treatment

1. Puncture (minimally invasive intervention).It is also used to diagnose diseases.The needle is inserted into the joint capsule, taking away part of the fluid - this allows you to get material for analysis, reduce the load on the capsule and, if necessary, inject corticosteroid drugs directly into the site of inflammation.
2. Diagnostic arthroscopy.Arthroscopy implies the introduction of a special arthroscopic apparatus through micro-incisions in the skin.This allows you to thoroughly examine the joint, as well as remove separate cartilage fragments, eliminating the causes of the inflammatory process and pain.
3. Corrective osteotomy.The essence of this surgical procedure is that the patient's bones are filed and then fixed at a different angle.The operation allows you to reduce the load on the joint and eliminate pain for a longer period.Such a radical effect is rarely prescribed - the load on the patient's body is too great, and the rehabilitation period is too long.
4. Endoprosthetics.In cases where other types of treatment have not helped, and the disease has completely or almost completely destroyed the joints, they are replaced with plastic, metal or ceramic prostheses.Endoprosthesis replacement is a difficult and expensive operation that requires long-term rehabilitation.Many patients feel pain for several months after surgery.However, endoprosthetics for the patient is often the only alternative to immobilization.The service life of modern prostheses reaches twenty years, and all these years the patient will be able to live a full life.

Symptoms and features of the treatment of arthrosis of different types

Despite common symptoms, arthrosis of different joints has its own signs and characteristics of treatment.For example, the use of ointment for arthrosis of the hip joint is ineffective because of muscle and fat tissue, which prevents the medicine from reaching the site of inflammation.But the same ointments work well when applied to the knee or elbow joint.Let's see what symptoms are typical for arthrosis of the joints (ankle, knee, elbow, shoulder, fingers and hip) and what treatment is suitable for each case.

• Treatment of arthrosis of the joints of the hand (fingers).In the early stages, the disease manifests itself only as a slight creaking and slight pain when moving the hands, but in the absence of treatment it becomes visually noticeable: noticeable thickenings appear on the phalanges in the joint area.The pain intensifies and becomes constant, there is burning and throbbing in the fingers.NSAIDs and corticosteroids are used to relieve pain and inflammation;massage, chondroprotectors and finger traction are used to slow cartilage destruction.
• Treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint.Painful muscle spasms, reduced hand mobility, "lumbago" when lifting and moving to the side - these are all symptoms of arthrosis of the shoulder joint.Massage and physical therapy are prescribed in combination with the use of antispasmodics and intra-articular injections of painkillers.
• Treatment of arthrosis of the elbow joint.Symptoms of elbow disease include a loud creak when bending the elbows and moving the arms, "shooting" pain and muscle weakness.To get rid of this type of arthrosis, physiotherapeutic procedures, compresses and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of ointments are used.
• Treatment of arthrosis of the hip joint.Osteoarthritis of the hip joint is characterized by "soft" creaking in the joints, painful or uncomfortable sensations in the lower back when moving, or severe fatigue.During the treatment of the disease, painkillers are prescribed in the form of injections, capsules or tablets, compresses with anti-inflammatory solutions.
• Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint.With gonarthrosis, patients complain of creaking sounds when moving, pain in the area of the lower leg, especially with heavy loads, and an increase in the size of the joint.Complex therapy includes: shock wave therapy, joint traction, physical therapy, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ointments) and the use of compresses.
• Treatment of arthrosis of the ankle joint.Tingling sensation, redness, creaking, clicking in the foot area, rapid fatigue when walking - these symptoms indicate the development of arthrosis of the ankle joint.Physiotherapy, massage and therapeutic baths are effective in the treatment of this type of disease.You should also reduce the stress on the ankle.

To avoid the onset of arthrosis, especially if there is a predisposition, simple rules should be followed: wear comfortable shoes, maintain physical activity, taking precautions when exercising, avoid injuries and hypothermia.To prevent disease, it is especially important to maintain a normal weight, because every extra kilogram increases the load on the joints.