What folk remedies are used in the treatment of arthrosis. A selection of the best recipes for the treatment of arthrosis with folk remedies at home and recommendations for their use

Treatment of arthrosis with folk remedies at home perfectly complements the main therapy. Regular use of recipes with herbal ingredients will not only improve the condition of the joints, but also strengthen the immune system and increase the body's resistance to disease.

The destruction of the joint, accompanied by deformation and loss of motor activity, is called. The main symptom that causes the greatest inconvenience is pain. A person tries to reduce pain in all ways. You can eliminate the pain syndrome with the help of anesthetics, the use of orthopedic bandages.

Why arthrosis appears

Arthrosis can develop in anyone. The degree of risk of pathology depends on the state of health and lifestyle, starting from a young age. It will not be possible to return the joint to a healthy state by restoring damaged tissues, but knowing what the disease can cause, you can make every effort to prevent the development of the disease.

Factors affecting the occurrence of arthrosis of the joints:

• The main cause of the disease is the natural aging of the body. The threshold, which can be considered the beginning of withering, cannot be determined at the same level for each person. According to statistics, the disease can begin to develop after the age of forty, and the older the age, the more sick among the representatives of the surveyed generation.
• Injuries of varying intensity and degree of prescription contribute to the development of dystrophic processes in the joints. During mechanical action, microtraumas appear, which give impetus to the development of arthrosis.
• Congenital pathologies of the joints: dysplasia, congenital dislocations, underdevelopment of the components of the joint. Improper development leads to deformation of the mobile joints without the necessary treatment. Underdevelopment of the joints does not allow the full functionality of a limb or other part of the body.
• Intense physical exercise, under the influence of which a load is created, is disproportionately large for the articulation. With regular pressure, insufficient depreciation when running, jumping, carrying heavy loads, the joint is destroyed. The risk group includes professional athletes, loaders, builders and other professions whose labor activity is associated with heavy physical exertion.
• Hormonal restructuring in the human body, associated with different periods of development, disrupts metabolic processes. Most often, the development of arthrosis begins in women during menopause.
• Excess weight loads the joints regularly. The consequence of obesity is an increase in the load, which the joint will not be able to cope with without consequences.
• Prolonged exposure to cold temperatures is detrimental, causing degenerative lesions.
• Deficiency of minerals and trace elements disrupts the processes of self-healing, slowing down the reactions that synthesize substances that are the building material for hyaline cartilage.
• Diseases that disrupt metabolic processes to a large extent.
• Endocrine pathologies, during which not only metabolism fails, but also hormonal imbalance occurs.
• Genetic predisposition: if one of the relatives had a case of the disease, the person is at risk.

Alternative therapy for the treatment of the disease at home

Treatment with folk remedies is effective as a method of additional therapy in combination with the main therapeutic measures. Available home remedies will enhance the effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and synthetic chondroprotectors.

Good results can be observed during or stage of arthrosis. In advanced conditions, home procedures will not bring the desired effect. Small changes at the initial stage can be eliminated with the help of homemade ointments, compresses, lotions.

Before proceeding with the procedures at home, it is necessary to consult with a specialist in order to exclude the possibility of contraindications. A tendency to allergies should alert the patient, since at first glance, safe components can cause a severe allergic reaction.

It is possible to achieve a lasting effect from treatment at home after several courses of therapy. No need to wait for a miraculous deliverance from the disease with a single application. The preparation of the drug must fully comply with the recipe. In the event of negative reactions of the body to the effects of folk remedies.

Recipes for oral administration

1. Aloe is a medicinal plant widely used in the treatment of traditional healers. It contains the chemical substance allantoin, which is a powerful antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect, vitamins B, C, E. In this disease, aloe is used in the form of freshly squeezed juice from the leaves of the plant. Every day, four times a day, you need to drink one tablespoon four times a day for a comprehensive treatment.
2. In the treatment of joints, the state of immunity and the speed of metabolic processes are important. Dandelion officinalis will help improve the body's resistance, restore metabolic reactions, remove toxins to improve the functioning of the joints. Fresh leaves, thoroughly washed, are passed through a meat grinder and the juice is squeezed out, which is drunk in a teaspoon twice a day.
3. The analgesic effect will provide St. John's wort with wormwood. To prepare a decoction, you need 30 grams of St. John's wort and wormwood. Raw materials are poured with a liter of boiling water and brewed for 20 minutes. You need to drink the medicine 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.
4. Willow bark, birch leaves, nettle and calendula are combined in one glass container in equal proportions. Before use, a fresh decoction is prepared: 60 grams of raw materials are poured into 2 cups of water and boiled over low heat for 3 minutes, after which they are left to cool for an hour. Half is drunk in the morning, the rest in the evening.

Compresses for complex treatment

Local application of compresses for the treatment of the disease has an analgesic effect, relieves swelling and prevents inflammation.

1. A fresh leaf of white cabbage is abundantly smeared with honey. The sheet is applied to the affected joint and fixed with cling film. The compress can be left for the rest, covered with a warm blanket.
2. White clay is used to treat the disease, as a local anti-inflammatory agent. Clay is diluted with clean water to a thick mass and applied to a bandage for ease of application to the joint. On the sore spot, the product is left for one hour, after which the skin can be wiped with a damp cloth. Apply the recipe twice a day.
3. The egg shell must be crushed to a powdery state and mixed with a small amount of kefir to a mushy state. The resulting mass must be applied to a cotton cloth and applied to the affected area for two hours.
4. Fern leaves are applied and covered with a film, fixing with a bandage. The compress can be left up to 6 hours.
5. Crushed chalk is added to sour milk until a thick mass is obtained, which is applied to the collapsing joint of the bones. From above, the mixture should be covered with a film and a warm towel. Keep the chalk mass for 12 hours.
6. Mix aloe juice with a little honey and alcohol. In the resulting mixture, you need to moisten the bandage and apply to the joint for 2 hours.
7. Finely chop the horseradish leaves and pour a small amount of water. Apply the mixture on the diseased joint, cover with a film and wrap with a warm scarf for 30 minutes. The compress is repeated for two weeks.
8. Pour boiling water over burdock leaves and leave to cool. Meanwhile, the joint is smeared with olive oil and covered with a burdock leaf on top. Covered with a warm blanket, the burdock is left for 1 hour.
9. A gelatin compress prevents destruction and heals the joint. Gelatin is wrapped in gauze and poured with warm water to swell. The resulting bandage is applied to the affected area for 50 minutes. The procedure can be repeated every other day.

Alternative treatment of arthrosis with ointments

1. Add two tablespoons of celandine to a glass with sunflower oil filled by a third. After 7 days, you can strain and use for rubbing.
2. Mix twisted burdock leaves with petroleum jelly. Apply for pain.
3. Mix five milliliters of turpentine with the same amount of apple cider vinegar and egg yolk. All components are mixed and used in the form of an ointment.

Rubbing

Treatment with rubbing medicinal formulations increase blood circulation and improve range of motion.

1. Mix aloe juice, medical alcohol and camphor oil. Add 10 ml of novocaine to the resulting mixture. The solution should be infused for seven days.
2. 30 grams of crushed dandelion is poured with 60 milliliters of alcohol. After two weeks, you can rub it into the affected joint.
3. Forty grams of propolis mixed with vegetable oil. Rub this mixture 2 times a day, then wipe off the residue with a napkin.
4. Add eucalyptus, pine needles and chamomile to olive oil. Rub into skin for soreness.

Therapeutic baths

Water procedures with the use of therapeutic solutions are useful for arthrosis, as an adjuvant. Staying in a therapeutic bath increases blood circulation, reduces pain and relieves inflammation.

1. Two hundred grams of mustard is poured into 5 liters of hot water and poured into a warm bath. You can stay in the mustard solution for no more than twenty minutes.
2. For 100 grams of mint, you need to take two glasses of water, and brew. Pour the filtered broth into the bath and take a bath for half an hour.
3. Oregano, calendula and St. John's wort are mixed and poured with boiling water. After filtering, add to the bath and stay in it for no more than 15 minutes.

Diet therapy for the treatment of disease

Therapeutic nutrition for arthrosis is a prerequisite for a successful course of treatment. When compiling a daily diet, all recommendations must be taken into account. Dietary products will not only prevent destructive processes, but also maintain optimal body weight so as not to aggravate the course of the disease.

• eat meat and fish of low-fat varieties with plenty of vegetables;
• observe the water regime, drinking 2 liters of pure water, excluding first courses;
• give up sweets, sugar and confectionery;
• fractional meals should be present up to five times a day;
• do not overeat;
• you can not drink alcohol, coffee;
• it is useful to include jelly dishes from lean meat in the menu;
• do not buy fast food and semi-finished products.

Dishes should be steam cooked with minimal salt added. For cooking use only fresh products of good quality.

Prohibited Products:

• table salt so that edema does not develop;
• cakes, cakes, sweets, contribute to an increase in body weight;
• chips, crackers, fast food;
• pasta and rolls;
• mayonnaise and sauce with a high content of animal fats;
• fatty meat and fish;
• whole milk;
• carbonated drinks and alcohol-containing products;
• foods high in starch.

What can be used for food:

• cereals, except for semolina;
• vegetables, fresh fruits, natural juices;
• dairy products;
• eggs in limited quantities;
• lean meat.

How not to get arthrosis

The disease develops slowly, but can lead to disability when neglected. The joint loses mobility and deforms, worsening the patient's quality of life. Keeping your joints healthy will help preventive actions, adhering to which the risk of arthrosis is significantly reduced.

Prevention rules:

• eat right, following the recommended diet;
• adhere to a healthy lifestyle with the refusal to use alcohol and cigarettes;
• exclude intense physical activity;
• regular exercise;
• timely treatment of infectious diseases;
• do not overcool, wear clothes according to the season;
• wear comfortable anatomical shoes that fit the size;
• prevent injury;
• monitor weight;
• after 45 years, drink a preventive course of chondroprotectors.

It is much easier to prevent a disease than to treat it. Compliance with simple rules for lifestyle changes is the main principle of prevention. The consequences of destructive processes in the joints cannot be restored. Keeping a beautiful walk until old age will help simple rules, which include the recipes of healers.

Alternative treatment of arthrosis will require patience for the long-term use of herbal remedies. Dieting, moderate physical activity, effective and safe folk remedies in combination will significantly improve the condition of the joints, relieving a sick person from pain and swelling.

Pain in the joints not only complicates life, but, as a rule, indicates dangerous inflammatory and destructive processes that gradually hamper movement, and, if not properly treated or not, lead to irreversible deformities and disability.

Arthrosis is the second most common cause of disability after cardiovascular disease. At the same time, arthritis and arthrosis very often affect the working population, that is, people become disabled - or are forced to constantly overcome pain in order to earn a living.

So why do joint pains occur, and what are the methods available to Russians today that will not only temporarily relieve pain, but also eliminate inflammation and stop the destruction of the joint?

Military Medical Academy. CM. Kirov, St. Petersburg;

biophysicist, full member of the Academy of Medical and Technical Sciences Fedorov V.A.

Disappointing statistics. Only according to official data in Russia there are more than 10 million patients with arthrosis and about 300 thousand Russians suffer from rheumatoid arthritis (about a third of them have severe forms of disability). The prevalence of arthritis and arthrosis is steadily increasing. So, for the period 2001-2005. the incidence of arthrosis increased by 48%. . Osteoarthritis occurs in every third patient aged 45 to 64 years and in 60–70% of patients over 65 years of age. According to WHO, osteoarthritis of the knee is the 4th leading cause of disability in women and 8th in men.

Arthritis and arthrosis - differences

Arthritis and osteoarthritis have similar names, since both of these diseases affect the joints. They differ in the nature of changes in the joints.

At arthritis pain associated with inflammation of the tissues of the joint. With this disease, the synovial membrane suffers, in which the blood and lymphatic vessels, nerve endings are concentrated. Accordingly, this affects both the nutrition of the joint and the production of joint lubrication (synovial fluid), which nourishes the cartilage.

Arthritis can develop any age, including in children and adolescents (juvenile arthritis). This disease may affect almost any joint, incl. small (arthritis of the fingers), and multiple damage to the joints can also be observed - polyarthritis.

Long-term arthritis leads to arthrosis, since the joint, in particular, cartilage tissue, suffers for a long time from a nutritional deficiency that comes from the synovial fluid. It is important not to “extinguish” inflammatory reactions with anti-inflammatory drugs, namely to fight with cause of inflammation, for example, with .

At arthrosis, first of all, it is observed cartilage destruction covering the surface of the bone (and, when the process is running, the bone tissue itself). The cartilage can no longer cope with the load that is placed on it, and it begins to break down faster than it has time to recover. The cartilaginous tissue softens, the normal sliding of the articular surfaces is disturbed, any movements are accompanied by pain.

Arthrosis is more common after 40 years. The defeat of large joints, such as knees (gonarthrosis) and hip joints (coxarthrosis), is more common, and is the cause of disability and disability. Less commonly, osteoarthritis of the fingers, arthrosis of the big toe, temporomandibular joint, damage to the shoulder, elbow joint, etc.

Symptoms and signs

Arthritis symptoms:

• synovitis, that is, swelling, increased sensitivity or soreness when touched, limitation of joint mobility;
• sharp, aching pain, both in motion and at rest;
• morning stiffness, due to the fact that swelling develops in the joint area during the night. Passes through 40-60 minutes after the start of movement.

In arthritis, general signs characteristic of inflammation can also be observed: fever, chills, sweating, general weakness. May present with headaches and weight loss. There are also symptoms of the disease that caused inflammation: damage to the heart in rheumatoid arthritis, lungs and other organs in tuberculosis, etc.

Arthrosis symptoms:

• pain that occurs during daytime physical activity, and not at rest. For example, pain in the knee and hip joint when walking, running, squatting, walking up stairs, etc. Further, when moving, the pain disappears (starting pain). There is severe pain in the knee and a crunch during flexion-extension.
• short-term “starting pains” after periods of rest, due to the fact that the articular surfaces on which detritus settle (the result of the destruction of cartilage and bone tissue) rub against each other. After 15-20 minutes after the start of the movement, the pain disappears, as the detritus is pushed out.
• continuous dull night pains more often at the beginning of the night due to venous congestion.

Arthrosis is often accompanied by inflammatory reactions. Accordingly, pain and swelling are observed, as in arthritis, and the disease itself is called arthrosis-arthritis.

With long-term arthrosis, there is often a limitation of mobility due to degenerative changes in muscles, tendons (the so-called contractures), joint deformity. Therefore, the disease is often called deforming arthrosis or deforming osteoarthritis.

Stages and degrees of osteoarthritis

There are several stages of osteoarthritis, which, as a rule, are recognized by x-rays:

• Osteoarthritis of the 1st degree - changes in the bone and cartilage tissue are weakly expressed, as a rule, they are recognized during computed tomography. Pain and swelling occurs after moderate exercise. Swelling of the joint disappears after rest.
• Osteoarthritis of the 2nd degree - cartilage tissue begins to break down, bone tissue growths (osteophytes) appear along the edges of the joint, the joint space narrows, which leads to constant pain. Swelling and pain become permanent.
• Osteoarthritis of 3-4 degrees - there is extensive destruction of cartilage, as well as bone tissue devoid of protection. There is constant swelling, disruption of the ligaments, muscle function, which leads to joint deformity. The axial load in the joint is broken: "O" or "X" deformation in the joints.

Which doctor should I contact?

If there is a suspicion of arthritis or arthrosis, you should consult a doctor for a correct diagnosis. In a regular clinic, this problem is addressed to a rheumatologist or orthopedist-traumatologist, less often to a surgeon. In large diagnostic centers, you can get an appointment with an arthrologist. This is a specialist who deals directly with diseases of the joints.

Causes of arthritis and arthrosis

The main causes of arthritis are:

• A rheumatoid (sometimes called rheumatic) autoimmune disease, when the protective immune cells of the body, for some unknown reason, begin to kill the body's own cells, mistaking them for foreign ( rheumatoid arthritis). The nature of this disease is not completely clear. The disease affects women more often (3-5 times, according to various sources). Also found is juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (juvenile idiopathic arthritis), a childhood form that occurs in children and adolescents under 16 years of age.
• Infectious diseases in which symptoms of arthritis are observed, for example, tuberculosis, brucellosis, tick-borne borreliosis, etc.
• Non-infectious disease(psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc.)
• Exchange disorders eg gout.

The main causes of arthrosis:

• Trauma - the most common reason.
• congenital dysplasia(violation of the articular surfaces of the bones) of the joint (for example, dysplastic coxarthrosis). In this case, the joints are excessively mobile, they bear an increased load and wear occurs faster.
• Long-term arthritis(rheumatoid arthritis, tuberculosis of the joints, etc.). Metabolic disorders in the synovial fluid leads to malnutrition of the cartilage, slowing down the renewal of dead cells and provokes its destruction.
• Excessive exercise, in particular when playing professional sports or monotonous production operations. It has been noted that seamstresses most often develop arthrosis of the joints of the hands, and workers using a jackhammer - of the elbow and shoulder joints. In other words, the cartilage that suffers the most for a long time suffers first.
• Hormonal disorders. In women, this is often associated with menopause.

Regardless of what was the specific cause of arthritis or arthrosis, the main problem is the imbalance between the processes of destruction and repair in the tissues of the joint.

At the cellular level, this means that in the joint:

accumulates excess of damaged and dead cells, which the body does not have time to remove;

- not enough new functional cells are formed, which should replace dead cells and ensure the proper functioning of the joint.

The difference in the reactions of the body in arthritis and arthrosis is explained by the difference in the tissues of the joints that are affected.

In arthritis, damaged cells predominate in the synovial membrane and synovial fluid, and inflammation starts there. Edema is a necessary reaction of the body to deal with excess damaged cells in soft tissues.

In arthrosis, damaged cells predominate in the cartilage tissue, where another defense mechanism works: the replacement of damaged functional cells with connective tissue (scars), which is not able to perform the functions of shock absorption and does not have the property of elasticity and elasticity.

An excess of damaged cells can occur at a time due to trauma, hypothermia, etc. In other cases, the accumulation of dead cells, a decrease in the functionality of joint tissues occurs gradually due to daily stress (for example, when playing sports, heavy or monotonous physical work), innervation disorders, metabolic, hormonal and other processes. In this regard, an understanding of risk factors is of great importance in the treatment of arthritis and arthrosis.

Risk factors

All risk factors for arthritis or arthrosis are associated with situations when the processes of cell death in the joint begin to prevail over the recovery processes:

• Hypodynamia. A sedentary lifestyle leads to low microvibration of muscle fibers, the development of stagnant processes in tissues, insufficient lymph flow and capillary blood flow, and, accordingly, leads to increased damage and premature death of healthy joint tissue cells.
• Overweight. Excess body weight increases the load on the supporting joints - the hip and knee. In addition, the fatty layer makes it difficult for blood to flow to the joints, which disrupts the nutrition of the cartilage. It has been observed that overweight women suffer from arthrosis of the knees 4 times more often than their slender peers. It is generally accepted that a decrease in body weight by 1 kg reduces the load when walking on each knee or hip joint by 4 kg.
• Diseases of the spine( , ). The spinal cord is located in the spinal column, through which nerve impulses pass to the muscles. If the passage of impulses is disturbed, the muscles do not work smoothly and do not absorb the shock sufficiently when jumping, descending stairs, running and walking. Accordingly, even with natural daily loads, the cells of the joints are damaged and die more often.
• Elderly age. The body's resources are gradually depleted. Tissue aging occurs everywhere, including in the joints, at different rates, depending on the action of damaging factors and genetic predispositions.

Infections and non-communicable diseases in most cases serve only as a "trigger". Arthritis occurs, as a rule, in the presence of the above risk factors. Those. inflammation occurs against the background of already existing problems - insufficient blood flow, lymph flow, congestion in the joints. Healthy cells tend to defend themselves effectively against infections and other "attacks". Therefore, it is important to treat not only the underlying disease that gave rise to arthritis, but the joints themselves too.

Based on this general understanding, the principles of effective joint treatment follow.

Principles of effective joint treatment

The longer and stronger the processes of destruction prevail over the process of restoration, the faster the moment of irreversible changes comes. In this regard, it is important to shift the balance towards recovery as soon as possible.

For this you need:

1. Clear fabrics from an excess of damaged cells resulting from trauma, infection, autoimmune (rheumatoid, etc.) disorders. For this it is necessary increase lymph flow.
2. Improve blood supply joint tissues, which will lead to a natural improve cell nutrition. As a result, the process of premature cell death will stop, the restoration of cartilage tissue, the synovial membrane, the normalization of the composition of the synovial fluid, etc. is stimulated.
3. Restore innervation fabrics. Impaired conduction of the nerve pathways from the spinal cord to the joint can sometimes be the main cause of the development of the disease.
4. Maximum reduce load on the affected joints at the first manifestations of the disease to prevent further premature cell death. Do not wear heels, reduce weight if possible, do not lift heavy objects, walk and descend carefully, often alternate physical activity with complete rest during the day, etc. This is a whole range of measures, which, as a rule, involves a serious change in the way of life that has developed over the years.

Let's look at the different types of treatment in terms of the first three principles of effectiveness above.

Drug (drug) therapy

In case of inflammation the following drugs are used:

Thus, anti-inflammatory drug therapy is aimed only at relieving the symptoms of the disease, but not at cleaning or nourishing the tissues of the joint. Drugs only slow down, “freeze” the protective inflammatory process launched by the body.

Temporary relief of pain is also dangerous because the patient ceases to "spar" the injured leg. And this exacerbates damage to cartilage and bones. Therefore, the disease inevitably returns, and the pain only intensifies due to the occurrence of additional damage during the period of imaginary "calm". And soon the only method left is joint prosthetics.

Joint prosthetics(replacement of a joint with an artificial one) is a complex, expensive (at least 150 thousand rubles), surgical intervention, in which serious postoperative complications are possible (attachment of an infection, deep vein thrombosis, inflammation of the nerves, etc.). When an infection joins, osteomyelitis may develop, which requires the removal of the prosthesis and the affected areas of the bones. The functionality of the prosthesis is lower than that of a real joint. With falls and careless movements, dislocations, fractures of artificial joint fragments are possible, which requires a second operation. High risk of becoming a wheelchair user.

In order to attempt to restore cartilage, the composition of the synovial fluid, the following drugs are used:

1.Chondroprotectors. They are prescribed to restore articular cartilage. These drugs (mostly dietary supplements) are widely used in Russia. However, numerous studies (including those published in July 2010 in the British Medical Journal, data from 10 large studies) show no effect even compared to placebo!

2. - an important component of cartilage tissue. A drug based on it can be injected into the joint only after the inflammatory process has been eliminated. The cost of one injection is from 2,000 rubles. up to 16,000 rubles (depending on the concentration of the drug and the brand of the manufacturer), one course involves several injections. The introduction of this acid temporarily protects the joint from further damage. However artificially administered drug does not stimulate the production of its own acid Therefore, courses must be constantly repeated to maintain the effect. Thus, the treatment of one joint annually costs from 30 to 240 thousand rubles.

In addition to drug treatment, there are additional methods:

• laser therapy;
• cryotherapy (cold treatment);
• warming up;
• magnetotherapy;
• electromyostimulation;
• phonophoresis (ultrasound);
• treatment with gold-containing drugs, etc.

However, the effectiveness of these methods in terms of curing arthritis and arthrosis is a big question, since they does not address the root cause diseases - an imbalance between the destruction and restoration of joint tissues.

A New Understanding of the Benefits of Physical Therapy (LFK)

Therapeutic exercise, aerobic training, swimming is an effective means of preventing and treating arthrosis. They are aimed at restoring joint mobility and increasing blood flow in this area, and, accordingly, can stimulate the cleaning and restoration of joint tissues.

During exercise, workers muscles create biological energy * , which is necessary for transport and metabolic processes at the cellular level. Lymphatic and blood vessels are not suitable for every cell of the body, for every micro-site. Cells do not have their own means of movement, therefore, for their movement and contact with each other, their “shaking” is necessary, which is provided due to the contractile activity of muscle fibers, that is, the work of the muscles.

Muscles create microvibration energy constantly (even during sleep), only the power differs. The absence of microvibration indicates the death of a person. The level of microvibration sufficient to nourish and clean all tissues, including joints, occurs only with physical muscle tension.

The existence of the effect of biological microvibration was discovered in 1986 by Academician N.I. Arinchin and described in the works « », « » . And in 2002, the physicist Fedorov V.A. together with a group of doctors, the first measuring device was created - which made it possible to measure the microvibration background of a person and experimentally confirm the theory.

Unfortunately, therapeutic exercise has serious limitations:

• Exercise therapy can be carried out only after the removal of inflammation during the period of remission;
• exercises are not recommended in the presence of severe pain;
• people in old age have a whole bunch of diseases or serious degradation of the joint, which no longer allow them to do physical exercises;
• People with a lot of weight can do only a limited amount of physical exercises (in the supine position, sitting) to restore the hip and knee joints, since when walking and similar loads, the joints are overloaded and continue to collapse;
• Exercise therapy will be effective with frequent regular exercises, when classes alternate with periods of rest for the joint. As a rule, people are forced to go to work, have a number of family responsibilities that do not allow them to devote themselves entirely (for a long time) only to exercise therapy with periods of rest.
• Exercise therapy may be ineffective if arthrosis was the result of physical overload and degenerative changes in tissues in the joint. Muscle cells are already depleted, and additional stress can lead to their death.
• Exercise therapy does not solve the problem of restoring the conductivity of the nerve pathways, that is, in the presence of diseases of the spine, exercise therapy will be ineffective, since nerve impulses will not reach the joint area well.

Thus, exercise therapy is an effective treatment for arthrosis (but not arthritis) at a not too old age with a non-advanced stage of the disease in the absence of other aggravating diseases.

Cleaning and restoration of joint tissues using phonation

In Roszdravnadzor

The treatment of arthrosis must be approached comprehensively, competently combining drug therapy with traditional medicine.

Only a timely and comprehensive effect on the affected joints will prevent the progression of the disease from starting, preventing possible surgical intervention.

Causes and symptoms of arthrosis ^

Arthrosis of the joints, or osteoarthritis, is a disease that damages a joint and slowly destroys the cartilage inside it. The reasons for this rather painful process are:

Disturbed metabolism; Injuries; Excessive or abnormal load on the joints; Elderly age; Heredity.

Types of arthrosis

Coxarthrosis, or arthrosis of the hip joint; Gonarthrosis - arthrosis of the knee joint; Deforming arthrosis; Rheumatoid arthrosis; Arthrosis of the proximal or distal interphalangeal joints; Spondylosis - arthrosis of the spine; Polyarthrosis - covering several joints.

Regardless of the type, the following symptoms are characteristic of arthrosis:

Pain that occurs in the affected joint during movement; Crunch; Reduced mobility of the joint and its deformation, i.e. proliferation of bone growths and a change in its appearance.

Alternative treatment of arthrosis offers affordable and varied methods - applying compresses or applications to the diseased area, rubbing, wrappings, baths, massages, or drinking a certain amount of alcohol tinctures.

Using such simple folk remedies for the treatment of arthrosis as honey, propolis, decoctions, alcohol tinctures, various herbs, plants, vegetables and oils, you can successfully stop further destruction inside the joints. However, home treatment of arthrosis must be accompanied by a diet that limits salt, sweet, starchy, fatty and spicy foods.

Effective treatment of arthrosis at home: folk recipes ^

In order for the treatment of arthrosis with home remedies to be most effective, it is recommended to combine it with physiotherapy and therapeutic methods. Treatment of arthrosis at home is an additional therapy aimed at reducing pain, inflammation and improving metabolic processes.

Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis)

Therapeutic night compress:

Grind white chalk (school) and pour it with kefir; Apply the resulting mixture to the knee, cover with plastic wrap and tie a cloth on top.

Gelatin infusion:

Gelatin (tsp) pour warm water (100 ml) and leave overnight; In the morning, add another 150 ml of hot water with a spoonful of honey to the swollen gelatin, stir and consume on an empty stomach.

Treatment of arthrosis of the hip joint (coxarthrosis)

Garlic tincture:

Mix garlic juice (1) with olive oil (10). Take 1 tsp. before breakfast;

Take in equal parts iodine, glycerin, medical alcohol, fresh honey. Mix well and leave for 3 hours. Rub the finished ointment into the sore spot from top to bottom.

Treatment of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint

Recipe 1

3 gr. soften the mummy in a spoonful of hot water and mix with 80 gr. honey. Rub the finished ointment into the shoulder area at night.

Recipe 2

Pour 2 tbsp into a thermos. flowers of calendula, nettle, birch leaves and pour boiling water over night. Take the infusion for a month, 0.5 cup four times daily.

Treatment of arthrosis of the elbow joint

Birch ointment:

Birch buds and butter in equal parts are laid in layers in a jar; The jar is tightly closed and placed in the oven for half an hour; Next, the mixture is cooled, squeezed and combined with camphor alcohol; The elbow joint is rubbed with therapeutic ointment and insulated with a cloth from above.

Treatment of arthrosis of the ankle joint

Before going to bed, a woolen cloth is moistened with fresh cabbage juice, applied to the inflamed area and fixed with a bandage; Mix 0.5 liters of vodka, tsp. salt, tbsp. honey and 250 ml of radish juice. Place the resulting mass in a dark cool place for 15 days. The infusion is used as a rub twice a day (morning, evening).

Treatment of arthrosis of the foot

Recipe 1

Burdock leaves smeared with honey, attach to the foot and fix. Put on a woolen sock on top and leave overnight.

Recipe 2

Mix 3 tbsp. mint with wild rosemary and pour 5 tbsp. boiling water for 4 hours. Use the decoction as a twenty-minute hot foot bath before compresses or rubbing.

Treatment of arthrosis of fingers and hands

Recipe 1

Squeeze 3 tbsp from fresh fern leaves. juice and mix with 2-3 gr. melted propolis. The mixture is rubbed with soft massage movements into the hands and fingers.

Recipe 2

As a fifteen-minute hot bath for hands, an infusion of hay dust is used. The dust is poured with boiling water and infused for about an hour.

Treatment of osteoarthritis of the spine

Recipe 1

Melt the required amount of propolis in a water bath and mix with olive oil. Cool the mixture and rub overnight into the area of ​​diseased vertebrae. As a daily rubbing, you can use fir oil.

Recipe 2

Mix burdock root, nettle, heather, wild rosemary and lingonberry leaves and brew with boiling water. Add the resulting infusion in any amount to the water for taking a bath.

In the event of severe and acute pain in the affected areas, traditional medicine provides assistance in the form of physiotherapy, magnetotherapy, acupuncture or the appointment of anti-inflammatory drugs with analgesics. However, the range of wellness methods consists not only of drug treatment and folk remedies, but also includes a special diet with physiotherapy exercises.

Dietary nutrition plays an important role in the treatment of osteoarthritis. The diet for arthrosis does not provide for strict restrictions, but requires the following nutritional rules to be observed:

It is necessary to exclude smoked meats, fatty meat, spicy dishes, alcoholic beverages and canned food from the diet; Minimize the use of salt, spices, sweet products; Introduce fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, lean meats, cereals and products to the menu; Daily bring the amount of fluid you drink to 2 liters.

Physiotherapy exercises are necessarily selected by the attending physician, depending on the stage and type of the disease. This can be simple gymnastic exercises, swimming, or the use of certain sports equipment.

Prevention of osteoarthritis:

Eliminate excessive or prolonged physical exertion on the joints; Adhere to proper nutrition; Avoid excessive weight gain; Try to move more - walking, morning exercises or playing sports; Avoid possible traumatic situations.

Arthrosis in various forms is a common cause of pain, stiffness in the joints. Most patients suffering from aseptic forms of articular pathologies have crossed the threshold of 50 years. It is age-related changes that provoke the destruction of cartilage tissue, reduce the mobility of the limbs, interfere with daily activities, and force them to leave their favorite work.

Treatment of arthrosis at home is of interest to thousands of people with various forms of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Folk methods, proper nutrition, therapeutic exercises, self-massage will be a good addition to taking medication, visiting a physiotherapy room.

Causes of the development of the disease Symptoms Treatment of arthrosis at home Physiotherapy exercises and self-massage Effective folk recipes Preventive measures

Reasons for the development of the disease

Articular pathology develops gradually. The main cause of arthrosis is the destruction of cartilage tissue. Degenerative-dystrophic changes occur with the natural aging of the body. Cartilage wears out, elasticity decreases, the thickness of the connective tissue decreases, the volume of synovial fluid decreases.

Over time, the mobility of the affected joint is limited, it is difficult for the patient to move, bend / unbend the elbows, knees. Various forms of arthrosis occur in diseases of the musculoskeletal system or after injuries.

The risk of non-inflammatory cartilage lesions increases under the influence of the following factors:

poor nutrition; constant stress on the joints; overweight; hard physical labor; problems with the hormonal background in women with menopause; infectious diseases, systemic pathologies.

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Symptoms

The early stage is accompanied by mild pain in the affected joints, discomfort is felt during exercise. As the cartilage is destroyed, pain occurs more often, even at rest.

A characteristic symptom of arthrosis of the knee, elbow or hip joint is morning stiffness of the problem area. It takes some time for the person to “disperse”, the articular-ligamentous apparatus has gained sufficient mobility. In advanced cases, the cartilage is completely destroyed, the patient cannot move the problematic limb, and an artificial joint is required.

Treatment of arthrosis at home

On the recommendation of a doctor, the patient takes tablets and capsules, applies cooling / warming ointments to the area of ​​\u200b\u200bdiseased joints, and makes compresses with therapeutic solutions. The action of medicines is aimed at anesthesia of the affected areas, activation of blood circulation and nutrition in the tissues. The use of chondroprotectors stops degenerative processes in cartilage, and over time, the elasticity of the connective tissue is restored.

For arthritis, apply:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (topically and orally). Chondroprotectors. Vitamins. Gels to improve blood circulation. Muscle relaxants. Angioprotectors. Painkillers.

Therapeutic exercise and self-massage

In the exercise therapy room, the doctor will show special exercises for the development of diseased joints. Complete immobility of the elbow, knee or hip area is needed only for a short period after surgery or with severe soft tissue contusion.

As soon as acute symptoms disappear, it is necessary to give moderate loads to the problem area. Daily exercises for 15-20 minutes improve the condition of all elements of the joints, prevent ossification in some pathologies.

An excellent addition to physiotherapy exercises is a “soft massage” for arthrosis of various forms. With degenerative-dystrophic changes, periods of long-term remission are replaced by exacerbations, but it is necessary to maintain the health of the joints constantly. Stroking, light rubbing, kneading the problem area improves blood circulation, speeds up metabolic processes, and normalizes the mobility of the problem area.

Effective folk recipes

Most arthrosis is a chronic pathology. Constantly drinking drugs is harmful to the body. Herbalists offer affordable methods that improve the condition of diseased joints. It is impossible to completely refuse medicines, but during periods of remission, many home formulations work as effectively as drugs.

Proven Recipes:

tincture of Golden mustache. One of the most effective phytocompositions for the treatment of articular pathologies. Take a shoot that is at least two months old, finely chop, “joints” (12-15 pieces), put in a jar, add half a liter of vodka. Golden mustache tincture is ready in two weeks. Rub sore knees and elbows three or four times a day. Many patients are saved by the Golden Mustache if the weather “breaks”; tincture of cinquefoil. For 100 ml of vodka, 1 tbsp. l. vegetable raw materials. After 2 weeks, the tincture is ready. Treatment of problem areas is carried out twice a day for a month; horseradish bowl. Grind the leaves, add some water, apply to the painful area, cover with gauze for half an hour. Do a compress every other day. Number of procedures - 10; burdock leaves for arthrosis. Boil water, lower the leaves for 30 seconds, remove, cool. Lubricate the sore joint with honey or olive oil, apply burdock, gently fix it. The duration of a useful session is 1 hour. Daily procedures relieve pain and swelling; cabbage leaves for the treatment of arthrosis. Lightly beat off or cut the leaf so that the juice appears, spread the surface with honey, attach it to the sore spot. The compress helps with inflammation, relieves swelling and pain well; herbal collection No. 1. You will need a tablespoon of willow bark, birch leaves, nettles, calendula flowers, plus 1.5 liters of boiling water. Then sweat the composition on fire for 5 minutes, let it brew for 1 hour. Every day you need to drink 1 glass of the product in two doses (before meals). Course - 14 days; herbal collection number 2. Healing raw materials have a positive effect on the affected joints: hop cones, wild rosemary, chamomile, St. John's wort. Take ½ tsp of each type of useful plants, pour in 250 ml of boiling water, let it brew under the lid for 45 minutes. Herbal collection is taken 15 minutes before lunch and dinner for three weeks; lingonberry tea. For a glass of boiling water you need 1 tbsp. l. dry or fresh leaves. Useful tea take half a glass twice a day for a month.

A few more easy recipes:

ointment for arthritis. Take turpentine and apple cider vinegar (1 tsp each), add the mashed yolk, mix. Rub the affected areas daily; rubbing from the root of elecampane. For 250 ml of vodka, 1 tbsp is enough. l. chopped vegetable matter. After two weeks, the remedy is ready. Rub painful areas daily; sea ​​salt bath. To enhance the effect, add 3 tbsp to 100 g of a useful product. l. pine elixir. The duration of the procedure for healing the joints is a third of an hour; bath with herbal decoction. Prepare a healing liquid: per liter of water, take a tablespoon of St. John's wort, chamomile, burdock root, hemlock, nettle, calendula. Boil the mixture for 10 minutes, after half an hour filter the cooled liquid, pour it into warm water. The duration of the session is from 15 to 20 minutes; bath for hands and feet. With the defeat of small joints, a good effect is given by the daily performance of water procedures. For 4 liters of hot water, you will need a couple of tablespoons of soda and sea salt, 10 drops of iodine. Massage sore joints while warming up. 10-12 procedures are enough for the course; compress with gelatin. Wet a clean cloth or gauze with warm water, sprinkle with gelatin crystals, cover with a second layer. Wrap a sore knee or elbow, make sure that the bandage does not squeeze the tissues. Gelatin compress saturates thinned cartilage with natural collagen, improves the mobility of problem areas. The duration of a useful procedure is 50-60 minutes. Make a compress with gelatin every other day; oil with celandine. It is not difficult to prepare a healing agent: put 2 tbsp. l. finely chopped leaves, pour in 0.25 liters of olive or sunflower oil, put in a cool, dark place for 18 days. Keep the filtered product out of light. Every day, before going to bed, rub the oily liquid into the joints of the hands and feet.

Important! Arthrosis of various etiologies is a non-inflammatory disease. If the doctor found a secondary infection, there were signs of inflammation with a lack of synovial fluid, then the use of heat during the procedures will have to be canceled. Hot compresses, baths, rubbing with alcohol are prohibited until the focus of destruction is eliminated.

Prevention measures

Arthrosis is a chronic disease, treatment with varying success lasts for years. It is impossible to completely eliminate age-related changes in cartilage tissue, but it is possible to slow down the process.

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Rules for maintaining joint health:

rational nutrition, the use of products useful for cartilage, bone and muscle tissue; moderate loads on the limbs, refusal to carry too heavy loads; physical activity at a sufficient level; alternation of rest and loads when working "on the feet" or in the "sitting" position for a long time; daily gymnastics, walks in the fresh air; a sufficient amount of fluid per day - at least one and a half liters; at the age of 40 years and older - regular visits to an arthrologist or rheumatologist, control of the state of the articular tissue; after consulting a doctor - taking dietary supplements, chondroprotectors; control of hormonal levels by women, caring for joints during menopause; wearing comfortable, high-quality shoes; treatment of systemic pathologies, infectious diseases; constant monitoring of the course of endocrine diseases; observation by a rheumatologist, orthopedist or arthrologist in developing joint diseases; prevention of sports and domestic injuries, timely treatment of bone tissue lesions.

Treatment of arthrosis of various etiologies at home requires perseverance, regular use of herbal remedies. Proper use of folk recipes, diet, moderate physical activity will keep the joints healthy, relieve pain, swelling and discomfort.

More folk recipes for the treatment of arthrosis in the following video:

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Almost every person with age has to deal with various diseases of the joints. One of the most common and painful pathologies is deforming arthrosis, in which there is a change in the shape and structure, first of all, of large joints - the hip, knee, shoulder. It is far from always possible to cure an ailment with the help of remedies recommended by modern medicine, so people often use all kinds of folk methods that can be used at home.

The bath will relieve arthrosis

Bath has long been considered a powerful tool to help treat various ailments, including problems of the musculoskeletal system. In the process of steaming, decay products are removed from the body, which negatively affect the state of connective tissues. And due to massage, steaming with a broom with birch or oak leaves, as well as water procedures, the bath improves blood supply, and further development of deforming arthrosis is prevented. The bath will be more effective if you use special decoctions with herbs that should be splashed on hot stones.

Also, the bath is perfectly combined with treatment at home with all kinds of herbs. In particular, tea with blackcurrant leaves, lingonberries and cinnamon rose hips is excellent for arthrosis of the hip joint. The bath can be supplemented with a massage, which uses various oils, because they penetrate better into the steamed skin, thereby increasing the therapeutic effect. You can have a mud treatment session before going to the bath. After completing all the procedures, it is recommended to apply bandages made of woolen fabric to the joints.

Treatment of joints with horseradish

Treatment of arthrosis with folk remedies sometimes allows you to take a completely new look at familiar plants. In particular, effective treatment of a sick hip and other joints can be provided with the help of ordinary horseradish. This is due to a number of positive properties inherent in it. Firstly, horseradish has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, thanks to which painful symptoms can be minimized or completely eliminated. Secondly, horseradish leaves perfectly cope with the swelling that accompanies deforming arthrosis of the hip and other joints. An important property of horseradish, which allows you to effectively treat such problems of the musculoskeletal system, is a detrimental effect on viruses.

For the prevention and treatment of ARTHROSIS, our regular reader uses the method of NON-SURGICAL treatment, which is gaining popularity, recommended by leading German and Israeli orthopedists. After carefully reviewing it, we decided to offer it to your attention.

Compresses for arthrosis from horseradish with an apple. To prepare them, rub these two components on a grater and, mixing in equal proportions, apply overnight to painful joints, securing with a bandage. Grated horseradish root, mixed with a small amount of water, is brought to a boil over low heat. A dense fabric soaked with this mixture is used as a compress for the night. Horseradish leaves should be thoroughly kneaded, applied to the joints and dressed.

Sabelnik is a pioneer in the fight against joint diseases

Traditional medicine has long been quite successfully struggling with joint problems, using all kinds of herbs for this. Of the huge number of plants that have proven their effectiveness, cinquefoil stands out in particular. Home-made tinctures from it improve the condition of the hip, knee, shoulder and other joints, increasing their strength and making them more elastic.
Sabelnik, namely its root, should be finely chopped and pour half a liter of vodka. In this state, the cinquefoil should stand for a three-week period. After that, the tincture is filtered, and the cinquefoil can begin to be used. One teaspoon of this medicine is diluted with water and taken three times a day.

Sabelnik at home can be used not only for ingestion. Treatment of deforming arthrosis will be more effective if the cinquefoil in the form of a tincture is used for rubbing into sore spots. It is also advisable to do this three times a day, massaging the joints for five minutes, after which it is recommended to apply bandages made of woolen fabric.

Sabelnik can act as the main therapeutic component for the following ointment: a tube of lanolin cream, honey (tablespoon), cinquefoil tincture (tablespoon), three drops of vitamin E, hot pepper tincture (tablespoon). All these ingredients must be thoroughly mixed until a homogeneous mass is obtained and placed in a glass dish. Sabelnik as part of such an ointment extremely effectively copes with pain and swelling that accompany deforming arthrosis of the hip and other joints. After applying the cream on the joints, you need to apply warming bandages.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey for Joint Health

Apple vinegar

Treatment of arthrosis with folk remedies often suggests using methods available to everyone, using familiar herbs, all kinds of oils, making dressings with ingredients that everyone has, and taking salt baths. One of the inexpensive remedies that traditional medicine recommends is apple cider vinegar, which can be enhanced if used with honey.

The therapeutic effect that vinegar has is due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Apple cider vinegar is used as a simple mixture: a teaspoon of the solution is mixed with a quarter liter of water. Vinegar is taken before meals no more than five times a day. It should be borne in mind that apple cider vinegar is not recommended for those who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract, so they should limit themselves to two doses per day. Additionally, you can use various herbs in the form of teas and infusions. Vinegar should be applied in courses lasting two to four weeks.

Strengthening the positive effect can be achieved by adding not only vinegar, but also honey to a glass of water. This tool perfectly copes with the pain that accompanies arthrosis of the hip joint. It is also important that a drink with honey does not cause such irritation of the stomach as simple vinegar with water.

Well relieves painful symptoms of honey mixed with cinnamon. The medicine is prepared as follows: honey is added to the input in a ratio of 2 to one. Together with honey, a teaspoon of cinnamon is also mixed there, and all this is thoroughly mixed. Honey in the form of a similar ointment is rubbed into the joints, relieving the condition within a quarter of an hour after application. Other products produced by bees also help treat painful symptoms and improve joint health.

High efficiency at home is shown by honey mixed in equal proportions with propolis tincture and vegetable oil. This mixture is applied to mustard plasters, which are applied to the joints. In order for honey and other components to be better absorbed and act, it is advisable to apply warming bandages on top. Honey can also replace oils in the massage of the hip and other joints. To do this, melt the honey in a water bath, and then rub it into the painful areas.

Treatment of problem joints with salt

One of the most simple, affordable, but effective remedies for joint pain is ordinary salt. Salt treatment methods are many:

prepare a decoction of chopped oat straw and add 100 grams of salt to it per bucket of decoction. Use similar salt baths to steam the joints. You can increase the effectiveness of the method if you conduct a mud treatment session before that; salt baths (200 grams of salt per bucket of water) with the addition of seaweed (100 grams). Such a salt treatment is perfect for small joints of the arms and legs; an ointment with salt and pork fat (in a ratio of 1 to 5) perfectly warms and allows you to get rid of pain in case of arthrosis of the hip and other joints; baths with sea salt are especially effective for joint problems. Regularly taking salt baths for two weeks, you will notice a significant improvement.

Hirudotherapy - the oldest way to combat arthrosis

Hirudotherapy - treatment with leeches

Treatment with leeches, called hirudotherapy, has been used for arthrosis for a very long time. The positive effect is due, first of all, to a number of useful enzymes that leeches release into the patient's blood. Treatment with leeches ensures the restoration of metabolic processes, improves the functioning of the immune system, and helps to increase tissue elasticity. Leeches provoke the activation of the circulation of blood flows, which are sent to the affected joints. Treatment with leeches shows the greatest effectiveness in the initial stages, when it is possible to fully restore the performance of the joints.

Nuances of treatment with leeches:

during one session, four to six leeches are used, which are placed around the affected joint in certain places; in those areas where pain is most significant, two to four leeches sit down at the same time; when pain is localized in the patella, leeches are placed along it edges.

Effective oils for arthrosis

Many oils of plant origin are used to combat arthrosis, well helping to treat its various manifestations. They contain a lot of useful substances, including fatty acids, which have a beneficial effect on the condition of the joints, relieve swelling and inflammation. At the same time, oils can be used both for external use (massage, rubbing, dressings and compresses), and for internal use. The following oils demonstrate the greatest effectiveness in the fight against joint diseases:

coconut; St. John's wort; castor; linseed; garlic.

Homeopathy for joint diseases

Official medicine is skeptical about the methods offered by homeopathy, but many patients have experienced their high efficiency from personal experience. Multiple disorders in the body lead to the development of joint diseases, therefore, the solution of this problem should be approached not pointwise, but in a complex way, which is what homeopathy offers. At the same time, homeopathy will be most effective if it is combined with other methods of treatment, for example, regularly taking salt baths for arthrosis, using mud and bee treatment, using mummy for arthrosis, and in more complex cases, additionally resorting to medical treatment. It is also important to keep your joints warm at all times by covering them with wool bandages.

Mandalas are drawings arranged in a certain way in the form of a circle or magic diagram.

Mandalas - an alternative remedy for arthrosis

One of the most unconventional methods of dealing with many diseases, including the musculoskeletal system, are mandalas. They are drawn in a certain way in the form of a circle or a magic diagram. Mandalas have a strong effect on spiritual, mental and physical health, which ensures healing not from the problem, but from its very cause. To obtain the desired effect from the mandala, it is necessary to conduct daily sessions, the duration of which can vary from five minutes to an hour or more.

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Causes and symptoms

The causes of this disease are still unknown. Deforming arthrosis can affect both one and many joints.

In its development, the main role is given to overload and malnutrition of the cartilage. As a result, part of the cartilage cells die, the elasticity of the cartilage is lost, turbidity and cracks in the cartilage tissue appear.

In the initial stages, patients complain of a crunch in the joints and mild pain during exercise. They become sensitive to changes in the weather and changes in atmospheric pressure.

Later, there is a limitation of joint mobility and sharp pain during rotation or abduction of the limb. Lameness and shortening of the limb develop.

During this period, the pain is intense and almost constant. In elderly people, some shortening (up to 10 cm) of the limb may be due to a pronounced decrease in the height of the articular cartilage and muscle hypotrophy.

Factors affecting the development of osteoarthritis are divided into:

The causes of arthritis can be:

work associated with prolonged standing or vice versa, low mobility;

metabolic disorders;

excess weight, leading to increased stress on the musculoskeletal system of the body;

physical injuries of the joints (fractures, dislocations, sprains);

transferred infectious diseases, etc.

The main cause of arthrosis is a disturbed metabolism, which manifests itself in the fact that due to a lack of nutrients, the cartilage in the joint loses its elasticity.

In addition to impaired metabolism, the causes are hormonal disruptions, genetic predisposition, injuries, old age and heavy stress on the joints.

Causes of arthrosis:

1. Physical injury. These include torn ligaments, bruises and fractures.
2. Disturbed metabolism.
3. Obesity or excess body weight, leading to increased stress on the joints and cartilage.
4. Acute inflammatory processes in cartilage and joints.
5. Advanced age.
6. Lack of vitamins in the diet, in particular Calcium.
7. Systematic hypothermia.
8. Strong slagging of the body.
9. Systemic infectious diseases.
10. Venereal diseases - syphilis, gonorrhea.
11. Hormonal disorders. Thyroid dysfunction.
12. Blood clotting disorders such as hemophilia.
13. Genetic predisposition to joint diseases.
14. Poor collagen production can lead to rapid deterioration of cartilage tissue.

The main risk group for developing this disease are pensioners and people whose professional activities are associated with constant physical exertion.

Causes and symptoms

Pain is the most common symptom of arthrosis of the joints. It does not bother when the joint is at rest, but appears when the load on it increases or makes itself felt after a hard day.

Also, a symptom of arthrosis is a decrease in the functionality of the joint to the complete cessation of movement in it. This process increases imperceptibly and gradually, as the destruction of the intra-articular cartilage, the appearance of osteophytes and narrowing of the joint space.

The end result is absolute immobility of the joint.

Arthrosis of the joints of the hand

The next characteristic symptom of arthrosis is a crunch in the joint. It is distinguished by its "dry" sound tone and is always associated with pain. At the last stage of the disease, the deformity of the joint, the curvature of the limb, up to the complete loss of ability to work, joins.

Treatment at home

Traditional home medicine has a large arsenal of remedies, formulations, tips and recipes in order to cure arthrosis or significantly alleviate the patient's condition.

Dandelion officinalis. A decoction of herbs and roots. Pour 1 tablespoon of dry chopped raw materials with a glass of water, boil for 10 minutes, let it brew for 1 hour, strain. Drink 1 tablespoon 3 times a day before meals.

Fresh dandelion herb can be used as an external compress.

Infusion of herb femoral (saxifrage). 3 tablespoons of dry grass, pour 500 ml of boiling water, leave for 1 hour. Strain. Take 1 tablespoon 3-4 times daily.

Creeping wheatgrass. Pour 4 tablespoons of dry, finely chopped wheatgrass rhizomes with 1 liter of water, boil until the volume is reduced to one-fourth. Take 1 tablespoon 3-4 times daily.

Creeping thyme. 3 tablespoons of chopped herbs pour 500 ml of boiling water. Insist 1 hour, strain. Drink 1 tablespoon 4-5 times a day.

Stinging nettle. Pour 1 tablespoon of dry chopped nettle with a glass of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes. Strain. Drink 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

Spring primrose. Pour 15 g of dry chopped grass with 1 cup of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes. Strain. Take half a glass 3 times a day. Fresh grass can be used in first and second courses.

Osokor (black poplar). Infusion and tincture of black poplar are taken for arthritis, polyarthritis, sciatica. Preparation of infusion: pour 2 teaspoons of dry crushed kidneys into 300 ml of boiling water, leave for 1 hour, strain. Take one third of a glass 3 times a day.

Tincture: 100 g of vodka for 2 teaspoons of kidneys. Insist 7 days. Take 20 drops 3 times a day.

Locally, kidney infusion or kidney oil is used as a rub for radiculitis, gout, rheumatism.

The sequence is tripartite. Pour 2 tablespoons of chopped herbs with 300 ml of boiling water, leave for 1 hour, strain. Take 1 tablespoon 4-5 times daily.

For external use: 15 g of herb per glass of boiling water, leave for 1 hour, use for compresses.

Hypericum perforatum. Pour 1 tablespoon of dry chopped grass with a glass of boiling water. Insist 1 hour, strain. Drink 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day. The infusion can be applied externally.

Pharmaceutical camomile. Pour 2 tablespoons of dried inflorescences with 300 ml of boiling water, leave for 1 hour. Strain. Take 50 ml 3 times a day. The infusion can be applied externally.

Tomato juice. Tomato juice enhances metabolic processes in the body, so it is useful to drink it for gout, arthritis and polyarthritis.

Treatment of arthrosis is symptomatic and aimed at relieving pain. It is carried out on an outpatient basis or a sanatorium. The most effective are various thermal procedures, radon and hydrogen sulfide baths, ultraviolet irradiation, Bernard currents, ultrasound.

Good results are given by novocaine and alcohol-novocaine blockade, especially in combination with unloading the diseased limb (when walking, relying on a stick or crutches).

Of the medicines, various painkillers are used - Tempalgin, Ketonol, Butadion, adrenocorticotropic drugs.

Traditional medicine offers a variety of means to combat this disease. Most often, compresses, rubbing, baths, decoctions of medicinal herbs are used.

In order to get rid of pain, fairly simple and accessible means are offered. For example, burdock, cabbage or birch leaves.

Recipes proven over the years:

1. Wrap the sore spot in burdock leaves with the wrong side to the skin, tie with a soft warm cloth. Leave overnight, in the morning replace with fresh leaves. This plant relieves pain and swelling quite quickly. For greater effect, the leaves can be steamed by placing a pot of hot water on them for a few minutes. And grease the skin with a thin layer of sunflower oil or honey. Also, for enhanced action, you can grind several sheets in a meat grinder, put them on a whole sheet and fix them on the body.
2. Cabbage leaves also have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. You can also apply them to the body for a long time - at night or for several hours, this will not cause irritation. If you squeeze the juice out of them, you get a “two in one” remedy: you can drink it and moisten woolen, cotton or linen fabric for a compress with it.
3. Birch leaves, especially young ones, are a good remedy for the treatment of inflamed diseased joints. The easiest way is to fill clothes with fresh leaves for the night in the right place: pajama leg - on the knee, sleeve - on the elbow, sock - with arthrosis of the foot. You need to repeat this procedure until the pain disappears.

Good help in the treatment of arthrosis applications of clay. Apply a thick layer of clay heated in the sun on a sore joint, wrap it with cling film to protect clothing from contamination.

From above you can wrap a warm cloth. After two hours, rinse with warm water, get wet and put on a warm shirt or pants.

Traditional medicine advises for arthrosis to eat jelly and other aspic dishes more often to help restore the cartilage tissue of the joints.

For the same purpose, you can drink a gelatin solution. Dilute one spoonful of gelatin in a glass of water at room temperature. Drink it during the day in three to four doses half an hour before meals.

An excellent remedy for diseases of the joints is hot sand, especially sea sand. Sun-warmed sand on the beach can be applied to sore spots or even the entire torso.

Keep as long as it is pleasant for the body. Clean sand can be kept at home, using it as needed.

The treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint is especially effective with the use of mud or paraffin applications.

Paraffin must be melted in a water bath and allowed to cool to an acceptably hot state. Apply it on the knee, cover with a film, on top with a warm cloth. Hold until paraffin hardens (20-25 minutes). Remove the application, keep the knee warm.

Fill a dark glass bottle halfway with dandelion flowers, fill to the top with alcohol or triple cologne. After insisting for a month, strain.

Rub the infusion on the knees several times a day, especially before going to bed. Can be stored in a kitchen cabinet. After 3-4 weeks of use, a break is needed.

You can make compresses from warm, thick oatmeal boiled in water without adding salt. It is smeared on a sore knee, covered with a film and wrapped with a handkerchief. You can keep it all night and wash it off in the morning.

It is inconvenient to put compresses on the shoulder joint, so it is better to use various rubbing here:

The hip joint is not very convenient for the use of such means as compresses, applications.

In this regard, the treatment of arthrosis of the hip joint with folk remedies is based on baths and drugs taken orally:

dandelion - a sure remedy for the treatment of joints

There are two different ways to use dandelion for joint problems.

Method one. In May, you need to collect dandelion flowers.

They can be used both fresh and prepared for future use. If you use fresh flowers in the treatment of arthrosis, take five blossoming buds of this plant, rinse them thoroughly with clean, boiled water, and then start chewing thoroughly - until a semi-liquid slurry state.

If you are using a dandelion harvested for future use, then you can use its leaves. To do this, take a small amount of dried dandelion leaves and boil them with boiling water.

Then take one tablespoon of the resulting broth and thoroughly chew the steamed leaves. This procedure must be repeated every day.

Method two. Another way to treat arthrosis with dandelion folk is to use its infusion. To prepare it, take 5 bottles made of dark glass and fill each of them halfway with dandelion flowers.

Then take a triple cologne and fill these bottles with them up to the very neck. After that, put the bottles in a dark place and infuse for thirty days at room temperature.

After this period, strain the resulting infusion. The medicine is ready! Now the resulting infusion is necessary to wipe the affected joints.

The best time for this procedure is in the evening, before going to bed. It is necessary to repeat the wiping of diseased joints daily for a month. As a rule, after 3-5 weeks, joint pain begins to disappear.

To consolidate the effect of the treatment, it is desirable to combine the first and second methods of using dandelion - in this case, these drugs give the maximum healing effect.

Pay attention! Another method of folk treatment is to drink special medicinal teas and fees - for example, such as Altai articular herbal tea (read more at the link).

propolis - an ancient remedy for many diseases

Propolis has a good therapeutic effect for joint pain. Take a propolis sheet and wrap it around the affected joint. From above, bandage this compress with a regular medical bandage, not very tightly.

Even propolis for pain in the joints can be used in another way. Soak a small amount of propolis in a water bath, and then mix the resulting liquid with olive or corn (can be sunflower) oil.

The resulting emulsion should be lubricated with a sore joint, rubbing it into the skin at night.

Horseradish also helps with joint pain. To prepare medicine from it, take fresh horseradish and grind it using a regular grater. Then lower the resulting mass into water and put it on fire, bring to a boil, but after the water boils, immediately remove the pan from the heat.

After the chopped horseradish roots are steamed, take a clean linen cloth, soak it with the resulting broth and put the steamed mass of horseradish on it. Now apply this compress to the affected joint.

Treatment of arthrosis, like any other disease, should be started in a timely manner, comprehensively and prescribed by a doctor. The surgical method, as the last resort, is also effective for arthrosis, especially in advanced cases.

In the early stages, it is possible to delay the development of the pathological process through conservative methods of treatment, the use of medications, physiotherapy, and therapeutic exercises.

Traditional medicine is not rejected by official science, as its benefits and effectiveness are recognized. The so-called folk remedies are mainly phytotherapeutic, used for centuries. The main thing is to know the right plants, to be able to use them without causing harm.

Treatment of arthrosis with folk remedies at home is appropriate and effective after consulting a doctor. A knowledgeable and experienced doctor will always tell you which ointment or rubbing is best used for each individual patient.

He will definitely take into account the degree of damage to the joint, comorbidity or an allergic reaction, in which certain folk remedies cannot be used.

External folk remedies

These methods include various compresses, ointments, wraps, baths, rubbing.

• Horseradish compress is very effective. The roots are finely cut and steamed for several minutes in hot water. Then they are wrapped in cloth, cooled slightly, and applied to the joint until completely cooled. Such a compress can be done weekly or with pain. It relieves pain and slows down the inflammatory process.

horseradish root

• Compresses from cabbage juice and oatmeal act similarly. Soak a piece of woolen cloth with freshly squeezed cabbage juice and wrap the joint overnight. Porridge is boiled from hercules, wrapped in a cloth, cooled and used in the same way as cabbage juice.

Cabbage juice (left), oatmeal (right)

• Effective compresses from chalk and curdled milk, from fresh or dried leaves and dandelion flowers.
• Fresh cabbage leaves, wrapped around the joint at night, relieve pain and relieve swelling.

Cabbage leaves (left), dandelions (left)

• Well helps ointment, prepared from honey, glycerin, iodine and alcohol in equal proportions. The ingredients are mixed and left for 2 hours. Then rub the joint with this mixture until completely absorbed. You can use a lemon slice, soaking the joint area daily for a month. Such funds relieve pain and swelling, accelerate blood flow.

Various therapeutic baths also have a positive effect.

• Bath from pine branches: several branches with fresh needles are scalded with boiling water right in the bath, then poured with warm water. You can stay in such an infusion for no more than 20-25 minutes, after which the joint area is dried and soaked with interior fat or honey. Course - 10-12 coniferous baths per month.
• Baths from hay dust also help. Several handfuls of hay are poured with boiling water and after a few minutes are cooled to a temperature of 31 degrees.

Pine branches (left), hay dust (right)

Such local baths can be used for small joints of the arms and legs.

Folk remedies for oral administration

In the treatment of arthrosis with folk remedies, the method of using medicinal infusions and decoctions inside is also used.

• Onion decoction. You need two large onions, which are poured with a liter of water and boiled for 10 minutes. Chilled broth is consumed in a glass three times a day for a week.
• An infusion of lingonberry leaves (2 tablespoons per half liter of water) is prepared for 10 minutes in a water bath and infused in a thermos until the morning. It is recommended to drink it half a glass 3 times a day. You can repeat every week.

Treatment of arthrosis with folk remedies is no less effective than traditional medical methods of getting rid of the disease.

The main rule is that treatment should be carried out comprehensively and regularly. Among the many folk recipes, the most popular were: herbal preparations, compresses, ointments and warm baths.

Other folk remedies for the treatment of arthrosis of the joints

kefir is an excellent folk remedy

Take an egg shell and grind it into a powder. Mix the resulting powder with ordinary drinking kefir in such a way that the resulting mixture is as thick as possible.

After that, you will need a clean linen cloth. Put the resulting mixture on a strip of this fabric and apply a compress to the sore joint or joints. After that, wrap the compress with plastic wrap - this is necessary in order to insulate the sore spot.

This compress must be kept for two to two and a half hours. Compresses can be applied daily.

It is believed that since with this disease there is a lack of calcium in the body, such compresses help to increase the amount of this important substance in our body.

Treatment at home

The main rule in the treatment of arthrosis with folk remedies is a healthy lifestyle. Diet for osteoarthritis of the hip joint is directly related to therapy.

Nutrition for arthrosis should consist mainly of natural products. The exceptions are salt, sugar and products containing preservatives, thickeners, etc. (additives).

Treatment of deforming arthrosis of the hip joint is to monitor body weight, but with the exception of starvation. Accordingly, the ingress of nutrients into the affected area is reduced.

Treatment of arthrosis with folk remedies is aimed at increasing the body's resistance and vitality, improving blood supply and reducing pain in the affected joint.

They are used as dosage forms for external use (ointments), therapeutic multi-layer dressings, teas and body wraps. Most of all, the question is asked: “Is arthrosis of the hip joint treated with traditional medicine?” - the answer to which we will find out at the end of the article.

Like any disease, arthrosis is treated comprehensively, using painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs that restore cartilage tissue.

To restore joint mobility, physiotherapy and physiotherapy exercises are useful.

All these methods of treatment are prescribed by a doctor, self-medication is fraught with dangerous consequences.

You can help the body overcome the disease if you supplement the traditional treatment of arthrosis with folk remedies. This allows you to quickly relieve pain and inflammation, improve the patient's well-being.

And in the period between exacerbations - to maintain the performance of the joints.

Some traditional medicine can be used for a long time, unlike drugs. Thus, the body gradually and gently fights the causes of the disease.

The naturalness of these drugs determines their safety, and their low cost compared to drugs makes them accessible to all segments of the population.

It must be borne in mind that most traditional medicines require long-term use to achieve a positive effect. Some of them will help to quickly cope with pain, but the disease will not be completely cured.

To get rid of the causes of arthrosis, you need to use folk methods of treatment for years.

Nutrition and disease prevention

Nutrition in arthrosis play a significant role in the prevention and treatment. Here you need to find a balance:

• On the one hand, avoid starvation, since at this time there is a loss of essential nutrients.
• On the other hand, avoid overeating, as the load on the body's cleansing systems increases, plus, with obesity, slow weight loss is required.

Important! With arthrosis, the use of alcohol (including beer), trans-fat foods, flour products and sweets is prohibited.

A special role in the treatment of arthrosis of the joints is assigned to gelatin, since it contains a large amount of natural collagen. And gelatin is contained, in turn, in jelly. Tip: Eat more jellied food!

Do not forget about foods containing vitamin B, it is he who plays an important role in the synthesis of collagen. From products, give preference to liver, fish, legumes, nuts, bananas, dairy products and quail eggs.

Eat plenty of greens and start exercising regularly.

Rules for nutrition and prevention in case of arthrosis:

• Do not eat heavy food, do not pass, do not overeat at night.
• Eat many times a day, but in small portions. Meals are separate.
• Total control over weight, constant weighing, in order to prevent weight gain.
• Useful walks on foot, provided there are no exacerbations of the disease.
• Start swimming or yoga.
• Start going to the gym regularly.

With an integrated approach to treatment, arthrosis can and should be defeated!

is a chronic progressive disease of the joint with a gradual destruction of cartilage, an increase in pathological changes in the capsule, synovial membrane, adjacent bones and ligaments. Manifested by pain, morning stiffness and limited mobility. Over time, the symptoms worsen, in the later stages there are severe dysfunctions of the limb. Diagnosis is made on the basis of history, physical examination and x-ray findings. Treatment is usually conservative, including exercise therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs, physiotherapy, blockade. With the destruction of the articular surfaces, endoprosthesis is performed.

General information

Arthrosis is a chronic disease in which progressive degenerative-dystrophic changes develop in the joint due to metabolic disorders. It is the most common articular pathology, diagnosed in 6-7% of the population. With age, the incidence increases sharply. The disease is detected in 2% of people younger than 45 years, 30% - from 45 to 64 years, and 65-85% - aged 65 years and older. Osteoarthritis of large and medium joints of the extremities has the greatest clinical significance due to its negative impact on the standard of living and working capacity of patients.

Causes of arthrosis

In some cases, the disease occurs for no apparent reason, is called idiopathic or primary. There is also secondary arthrosis - developed as a result of some pathological process. The most common causes of secondary arthrosis:

• Injuries: fractures, meniscal injuries, torn ligaments, dislocations.
• Dysplasia: congenital dislocation of the hip, congenital anomalies of the knee and ankle joints, upper limbs.
• Connective tissue weakness: diseases and conditions in which there is increased joint mobility and weakness of the ligamentous apparatus.
• Autoimmune diseases: rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus.
• Nonspecific and specific inflammation: acute purulent arthritis, tuberculosis, etc.
• Metabolic disorders and some endocrine pathologies.
• Degenerative-dystrophic processes: Perthes disease and other osteochondropathy, osteochondritis dissecans.
• Diseases of the blood system: hemophilia, accompanied by frequent hemorrhages in the joint.

Risk factors

Risk factors for developing osteoarthritis include:

• Old age, endocrine imbalance in postmenopausal women.
• Overweight (with obesity, due to increased load, the joint is constantly overloaded, the articular surfaces “wear out” prematurely).
• Excessive load and repetitive microtraumas due to working conditions, improper organization of training (especially if there is a history of joint injuries), certain diseases, as well as the consequences of diseases and injuries.
• Intra-articular interventions, especially highly traumatic operations with the removal of a large amount of tissue, as a result of which the articular surfaces become incongruent, and the load on them increases.
• Hereditary predisposition (the presence of arthrosis in the next of kin).
• Neurodystrophic disorders in the cervical or lumbar spine (shoulder shoulder arthritis, lumbar iliac muscle syndrome).

Pathogenesis

Arthrosis is a polyetiological disease, which, regardless of the specific causes of occurrence, is based on a violation of the normal formation and restoration of cartilage tissue cells. Normally, articular cartilage is smooth and elastic. This allows the articular surfaces to move freely relative to each other.

With arthrosis, the cartilage becomes rough, the articular surfaces begin to “cling” to each other during movements. Small pieces are separated from the cartilage, which enter the joint cavity and move freely in the joint fluid, injuring the synovial membrane. In the superficial zones of the cartilage, small foci of calcification appear. In the deep layers, areas of ossification appear.

In the central zone, cysts are formed that communicate with the joint cavity, around which, due to the pressure of the intraarticular fluid, ossification zones are also formed. Due to constant trauma, the capsule and synovial membrane of the joint thicken with arthrosis. Villi appear on the synovial membrane, foci of fibrous degeneration form in the capsule.

Over time, the adjacent surfaces of the bone are deformed, and bone protrusions appear on their edges. Due to the increased load in the ligaments and muscles, foci of fibrous degeneration occur. The likelihood of damage to the ligamentous-muscular apparatus increases. With significant destruction of the cartilage, movements are sharply limited, the formation of ankylosis is possible.

Classification

Taking into account localization in traumatology and orthopedics, arthrosis of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, ankle and other joints is distinguished. Depending on the severity of the lesion, three stages of pathology are distinguished:

• First stage- there are no pronounced morphological changes, the composition of the synovial fluid is disturbed. The liquid supplies the cartilage tissue with nutrients worse, the resistance of the cartilage to normal loads decreases. Due to the overload of the articular surfaces, inflammation occurs, pain appears.
• Second stage- the articular cartilage begins to collapse, marginal bone growths appear along the edges of the articular area. The pains become constant, habitual, the inflammatory process either subsides or worsens. Mild or moderate dysfunction of the periarticular muscles is noted.
• Third stage- the articular cartilage is thinned, there are extensive foci of destruction. There is a significant deformation of the articular area with a change in the axis of the limb. Ligaments become insolvent and shorten, pathological joint mobility develops in combination with a limitation of the natural range of motion.

Symptoms of arthrosis

The disease develops gradually, gradually. In some cases, the first symptom is a crunch during movements, more often expressed in gonarthrosis and arthrosis of the shoulder joint. Many patients with arthrosis note a feeling of discomfort in the joint and transient stiffness during the first movements after a period of rest. But the most common symptom of osteoarthritis is pain.

Pain in arthrosis

Initially, patients are concerned about weak short-term pain without a clear localization, aggravated by physical activity. Over time, pain becomes more pronounced, there is a noticeable limitation of movement. Due to the increased load, the joint on the opposite side begins to hurt. The most striking signs are:

• starting pain. It occurs during the first movements after a state of rest and disappears while maintaining motor activity. It is caused by detritus - a film of the components of the destroyed cartilage tissue, which settles on the articular surfaces. When moving, the detritus moves from the cartilage to the torsion of the articular capsules, so the pain disappears.
• Relationship with physical activity. With prolonged exercise (walking, running, standing), the pain intensifies, and subsides at rest. This is due to a decrease in the ability of cartilage to provide cushioning during movement.
• Relationship with the weather. Pain is aggravated by adverse weather factors: high humidity, low temperature and high atmospheric pressure.
• night pains. The cause is venous stasis, as well as an increase in intraosseous blood pressure.
• Joint blocks. Accompanied by sudden sharp pains. The cause of the blockade is the infringement of the articular mouse - a piece of cartilage or bone lying freely in the joint cavity.

Periods of exacerbations alternate with remissions. Exacerbations of arthrosis often occur against the background of increased load, in this phase synovitis is detected, accompanied by other pain - constant, aching, arching, not dependent on movements. Due to pain, the muscles of the limb spasm reflexively, which causes limitation of mobility.

Other symptoms of arthrosis

As the disease progresses, there is an increase in already existing manifestations and the emergence of new symptoms due to the gradual destruction of the joint:

• The crunch becomes more and more constant over time.
• At rest, muscle cramps, discomfort in the muscles and joints appear.
• Due to the increasing deformation and severe pain syndrome, lameness develops.
• With advanced coxarthrosis, the patient cannot sit due to limited hip flexion.

External changes

When viewed in the early stages, visual changes are not detected. The joint is of normal shape, slight swelling is possible. On palpation, mild or moderate pain is determined. Almost full movement. Subsequently, the deformation becomes more and more noticeable, palpation reveals severe pain, while the patient, as a rule, clearly notes the most painful points.

Thickenings are determined along the edge of the joint space. Movements are limited, instability in the joint is found. The curvature of the axis of the limb can be detected. With the development of reactive synovitis, the joint is enlarged in volume, has a spherical appearance, soft tissues look "bulging", fluctuation (swelling) is determined by palpation.

Complications

In the later stages of arthrosis, the deformation becomes even more pronounced, the joint is bent, contractures are formed due to gross changes in the bones and surrounding structures. The support is difficult; when moving, a patient with arthrosis has to use a cane or crutches. Ability to work is limited, disability is possible.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis is made by an orthopedic doctor based on the characteristic clinical signs and x-ray picture of arthrosis. With gonarthrosis, radiography of the knee joint is performed, with coxarthrosis, images of the hip joint are taken, etc. The radiological picture of arthrosis consists of signs of dystrophic changes in the articular cartilage and adjacent bone.

The joint space is narrowed, the bone area is deformed and flattened, cystic formations, subchondral osteosclerosis and osteophytes are detected. In some cases, signs of joint instability are found: limb axis curvature, subluxations. The brightness of clinical manifestations does not always correlate with the severity of radiological signs of the disease, however, certain patterns still exist.

Taking into account radiographic signs, specialists in the field of traumatology and orthopedics distinguish the following stages of arthrosis (Kellgren-Lawrence classification):

• 1 stage(doubtful arthrosis) - suspicion of narrowing of the joint space, osteophytes are absent or present in small quantities.
• 2 stage(mild arthrosis) - suspicion of narrowing of the joint space, osteophytes are clearly defined.
• 3 stage(moderate arthrosis) - a clear narrowing of the joint space, there are clearly defined osteophytes, bone deformities are possible.
• 4 stage(severe arthrosis) - pronounced narrowing of the joint space, large osteophytes, pronounced bone deformities and osteosclerosis.

Sometimes x-rays are not enough to accurately assess the condition of the joint. CT is performed to study bone structures, and MRI is used to visualize soft tissues. If a chronic disease that caused secondary arthrosis is suspected, consultations of the relevant specialists are prescribed: an endocrinologist, a hematologist, etc. If it is necessary to differentiate arthrosis from rheumatic diseases, the patient is referred for a consultation with a rheumatologist.

Treatment of arthrosis

The main goal of treating patients with arthrosis is to prevent further cartilage destruction and preserve joint function. The therapy is long, complex, includes both local and general measures. Usually performed on an outpatient basis. During the period of exacerbation, especially in the later stages and with the development of persistent recurrent synovitis, hospitalization is possible.

Non-drug treatment

One of the most important tasks of an orthopedist in the treatment of a patient with arthrosis is to optimize the load on the joint. It is necessary to exclude long walking, repetitive stereotypical movements, long stay on the legs, prolonged stay in a fixed position and carrying heavy loads. A huge role in minimizing the load on the articular surfaces is played by weight loss in obesity.

During the period of remission, the patient is sent to physiotherapy exercises. The set of exercises depends on the stage of arthrosis. In the initial stages, swimming and cycling are allowed, with severe arthrosis, a specially designed set of exercises should be performed in a lying or sitting position. During the period of exacerbation of arthrosis, a half-bed rest is prescribed. In advanced stages, walking with crutches or a cane is recommended.

Medical therapy

Drug treatment is carried out in the phase of exacerbation of arthrosis, selected by a specialist. Self-medication is unacceptable due to possible side effects (for example, the negative effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the gastric mucosa). Therapy includes:

• NSAIDs. Patients are prescribed diclofenac, ibuprofen and their analogues, sometimes in combination with sedatives and muscle relaxants. The dose is selected individually, taking into account contraindications. Along with medicines for oral administration, intramuscular injections and rectal suppositories are used.
• Hormonal remedies. With reactive synovitis, punctures of the joints are performed, followed by the introduction of glucocorticosteroids. The number of injections of GCS should not exceed 4 times during the year.
• Chondroprotectors. Refers to drugs for long-term use. The introduction of drugs into the joint is carried out according to a certain scheme. For topical application, warming and anti-inflammatory ointments are used.

Physiotherapy treatment

To relieve pain, reduce inflammation, improve microcirculation and eliminate muscle spasms, a patient with arthrosis is referred for physiotherapy:

• In the phase of exacerbation. Prescribe laser therapy, magnetotherapy and ultraviolet irradiation,
• In remission. Electrophoresis with dimexide, trimecaine or novocaine, phonophoresis with hydrocortisone is shown.

In addition, thermal procedures, sulfide, radon and sea baths are used. To strengthen the muscles, electrical stimulation is performed. In the remission phase, a gentle massage can also be used.

Surgery

Operations for arthrosis are carried out at the later stages of the disease, with the development of severe complications that limit the patient's ability to work. May be radical or palliative:

• radical interventions. In case of destruction of the articular surfaces with a pronounced dysfunction, the replacement of the joint with an artificial implant is required. Most often, hip arthroplasty is performed to avoid severe disability of patients.
• Palliative techniques. They are used to unload the joint. With coxarthrosis, pertrochanteric osteotomy and fenestration of the fascia lata of the thigh are performed, with gonarthrosis, arthrotomy of the knee joint with the removal of non-viable areas of the articular surfaces in combination with osteotomy and correction of the axis of the leg.

Forecast

Arthrosis is a chronic slowly progressive disease. It usually takes several decades from the appearance of the first symptoms to the onset of pronounced functional disorders. Complete recovery is impossible, but the timely start of treatment, the implementation of the doctor's recommendations can significantly slow down the progression of the disease, maintain activity and ability to work.

Prevention

Preventive measures include injury prevention, a well-thought-out training regimen for athletes, weight loss for obesity, and minimally invasive joint surgery. It is necessary to promptly treat endocrine, metabolic and rheumatic diseases that can cause arthrosis. People with a hereditary predisposition should observe a mode of moderate physical activity, but avoid excessive stress on the joints.