The treatment of osteoarthritis requires an integrated approach and a combination of several methods. Most treatment tactics consist in correctly prescribing medications. They can be supplemented with traditional medical methods.
Main trends in modern osteoarthritis treatment
After a comprehensive examination, which includes the creation of the main and accompanying diagnosis, the professional treatment of osteoarthritis begins.
It includes the following methods:
- Change of lifestyle;
- drug correction;
- Physical therapy;
- Surgery.
The choice of method depends on the stage of the disease and the degree of destruction of the joint structures. First of all, you should learn the following rules that will make treatment more effective:
- correction of body weight;
- Exercise therapy – exercises that eliminate static stress on the joint;
- Increasing the level of knowledge about pathology in patients;
- The use of additional accessories (joint supports, insoles, walking stick or orthosis);
- Physical therapy.
The diagnosis is carried out by an orthopedist-traumatologist. However, other specialists who carry out consultations can also take part in this process:
- Neurologist: Consultation required in case of damage to intervertebral structures, radicular syndrome, severe back pain caused by the disease;
- Infectious disease specialist: exclusion of the infectious nature of joint diseases;
- Oncologist: Exclusion of malignant neoplasms of bone and joint tissue or metastases in these areas;
- Osteophthisiatrician: Rule out tuberculosis nature of bone lesions.
During an illness, care is taken to prevent complications of pathology and its progression. To do this, it is necessary to use orthoses and fixation bandages, monitor body weight and diet, and regularly consult a doctor. Consultations with a treating specialist are required at least twice 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 subsides or disappears;
- There are no signs of an inflammatory process;
- Quality of life, motor activity and ability to work 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 joints and periarticular structures (the skin over the affected area feels warm, there is redness, enlargement, pain and limitation of movement).
Medication
The choice of a drug complex 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 to strengthen cartilage tissue, intra-articular administration of maintenance therapy;
- Stage III – non-drug correction methods, non-steroidal drugs and drugs to strengthen cartilage tissue, intra-articular administration of maintenance therapies, antidepressants;
- Stage IV – radical surgical intervention in which the affected tissue is excised and an artificial joint is inserted.
In addition, analgesics are used for severe pain, and severe soft tissue inflammation can be eliminated with various ointments.
The treatment of osteoarthritis occurs according to established procedures, the duration of which cannot be violated independently. Even if the condition seems to improve, it is necessary to continue taking the medication as it tends to accumulate in the body. Likewise, you cannot independently adjust the dose of the drug, either towards a decrease or an increase.
The medication must be taken at the same time every day. Reception features - 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 drugs.
Examples are given; the treating doctor can prescribe other representatives of these drug groups.
- Analgesics.They are used to relieve pain, allowing you to restore mobility and improve quality of life.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.They relieve joint pain, eliminate swelling and redness of soft tissues, normalize the temperature of the skin over the joint and restore freedom of movement.
- Chondroprotectors.They contain elements of animal cartilage tissue, which allows the restoration of the structure of the joint, periarticular surfaces, ligaments and synovia. Slow down the progression of the process and strengthen healthy joints.
- Narcotic analgesic.For emergency relief from severe pain. Duration of admission: one-time, if necessary.
- Derivatives of hyaluronic acid.A viscous implant with hyaluronic acid is inserted intra-articularly. It improves the condition of the ligaments, the synovium and soft tissue. Allows water retention, improves the condition of collagen fibers, making the tissue elastic and resistant to injury and destruction.
- Glucocorticosteroids.Used for severe inflammation. They allow you to effectively influence the pathology and act quickly.
Use of ointments
Ointments are used to treat osteoarthritis. In some cases, they alleviate the patient's condition by reducing pain. However, this only makes sense in the first stages of pathology. The fact is that any drug that the patient takes orally is absorbed into the bloodstream of the digestive tract and through it acts on the joint tissue. When administered intravascularly, 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 work only on the skin and a small layer of soft tissue underneath. The patient must understand that the joint is not affected but is only symptomatic.
The following ointments are used for this:
- contains non-steroidal drugs;
- contains salicylic acid;
- contains capsaicin.
It can also be an ointment or gel based on medicinal plants that improve the condition of soft tissue and reduce sensitivity. This can be an ointment with menthol, camphor, eucalyptus or peppermint.
Traditional methods of treating osteoarthritis
Folk remedies involve relieving pathological syndromes. Complete recovery from illness cannot be achieved using such techniques; they are used in parallel with therapy and physical interventions. If you only take home-made medicines, the disease may progress and the patient will only lose time.
The following drugs have a symptomatic effect:
- Compress of grated horseradish root. Applied daily for a period of 7-9 days. A foil and a warm cloth are placed on the root pulp. The duration of the compress is 30 minutes;
- An oatmeal compress is used according to a similar principle. For this purpose, a creamy flake paste 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 foil and cover with a warm natural cloth. Leave the compress on overnight.
diagnosis
With a correct diagnosis, effective treatment of osteoarthritis is possible. The following methods are used for this:
- clinical diagnosis, which includes the results of the examination and questioning of the patient;
- X-ray diagnostics, during which a healthy and an affected joint is examined and their condition is compared;
- Laboratory methods that allow you to exclude other causes of pathology;
- analysis of synovial fluid;
- Ultrasound examination for soft tissue inflammation;
- Tomography for a more detailed examination of soft tissues and periarticular structures.