Arthritis- a disease that develops over many years with damage mainly to certain joints.Most often, painful changes affect large joints - knees, hips, shoulders, etc.Pain and difficulty moving in them complicate a person's life physically and mentally, and due to the fact that joint disease often occurs at a young age, it can hinder the achievement of professional and personal goals.That's why it's important to diagnose the disease as early as possible and begin comprehensive arthritis treatment.
Treatment of arthritis
In the early stages of arthritis, conservative methods that do not involve surgical intervention are used.Meanwhile, the corrective methods used can stop the progression of the disease, maintain mobility, reduce the severity of the main symptoms of arthritis and generally improve a person's quality of life.
- Drug treatment:
- NSAIDs;
- GCS;
- chondroprotector.
- PRP therapy.
- Therapeutic exercises.
- Massage and manual therapy.
- Traction therapy.
- Physical therapy.
Physiotherapy techniques are widely used for joint diseases:
- magnetic therapy;
- UHF;
- heat sensor;
- ultrasound therapy;
- balm therapy;
- surgical treatment.
Drug treatment
Patients have a widespread belief that taking drugs with analgesic effect (taken in the form of tablets or injected - intramuscularly) is the most important method of pain relief in joint diseases.In fact, the use of medication is a quick pain relief method and should only be prescribed in the acute phase.The reality is that the drugs widely prescribed for these purposes have serious side effects that increase with long-term use and especially with uncontrolled use.We are talking about unwanted effects from the digestive, cardiovascular, nervous systems, which with a high probability can cause the patient to be hospitalized (stomach bleeding, arrhythmia, effects on the liver and kidneys, etc.).
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
NSAIDs- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, many of which are sold without a prescription and are widely used by patients themselves.This group includes drugs with different chemical structures.The drug has a clear anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, can reduce pain in the joint area and adjacent muscle tissues but does not affect the development of the disease.They are used only to relieve symptoms at all stages of the disease.Effective for concomitant synovitis (fluid accumulation in joints).
GKS- Glucocorticosteroid drugs have strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.It is advisable and effective to manage them horizontally.However, patients often have a negative attitude towards the use of these drugs in treatment, which can cause side effects: infectious complications, degeneration of ligaments, joint surfaces, and cartilage degeneration.But with periarticular injections, the risk of these complications is minimal.
Chondroprotectors— substances that are natural components of cartilage tissue, which, when taken orally, contribute to the gradual restoration of cartilage, normalizing its density and elasticity.These active ingredients are often used in combination and are found in many drugs and ancillary products.Chondroprotective drugs do not provide quick pain relief;improvement develops with long-term use of drugs based on them, which is associated with partial restoration of cartilage tissue.Recommended at all stages of the disease.
PRP therapy
One of the most modern methods of rehabilitation medicine used for sports injuries and degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the joints is PRP therapy (PRP - platelet-rich plasma) or plasma biotherapy, auto-therapy.This technique is actively used abroad.
Nature of procedureinvolves injecting platelet-rich plasma directly into the injured site, in this case the joint.The medicine used is taken from the patient's own blood, so this method is considered not only highly effective but also safe for humans.Growth factors and other biologically active substances (serotonin, bradykinin, prostaglandin, etc.) contained in platelet-rich plasma contribute to the activation of regenerative processes and the synthesis of their own basic substances.
The resulting platelet-rich plasma is injected perpendicularly and directly into the affected joint, thereby partially restoring tissue, mainly cartilage.
This technique is most commonly applied in stages 1-2 of osteoarthritis.Shows good results and allows you to delay the rapid progression of the disease due to the release of growth factors by platelets.This method is new but has been proven to be highly effective.PRP therapy was first used in surgery;Today this technique is used successfully in many fields of medicine, including rheumatology and orthopedics, neurology and aesthetics.Carrying out autoplasma therapy allows you to increase the life of your joints without any other active intervention.
Synovial fluid protectant- a group of drugs based on hyaluronic acid, which are injected directly into the joint cavity (injections) and serve as a viscous lubricating fluid in cases where natural synovial fluid is almost completely absent (it is this that provides the role of lubricating the joint surface).Used in later stages of arthritis.
Drugs in this group are also known as “prosthetic synovial fluid”, “biological substitutes for synovial fluid”.The effect after taking the drug lasts - from 6 to 13 months, depending on the drug used.
Some applyother drug groups- antispasmodics, muscle relaxants, B vitamins in therapeutic (high) doses, but all of them have only side effects in the treatment of joint diseases.
Therapeutic exercises
Special therapeutic exercises can and should be used even with exacerbations, at all stages of joint disease.Such measures can relieve pain and prevent severe limitations in joint movement.However, this method is not popular among patients with joint diseases, because most of them mistakenly believe that when they are in pain, they need to limit movement.On the contrary, starting exercise promptly will promote faster recovery and reduce symptoms, mainly pain.
Especially effective is physiotherapy in water, joint mobilization in an unloaded position (lying, sitting, hanging) and moderate walking on a flat surface.If necessary, for example, in case of severe pain, a special bandage can be applied to the joint, but physical education should be started as soon as possible.
Massage and manual therapy
Methods of mechanical impact on joints, muscles and ligaments can reduce the severity of pain, increase mobility, improve blood circulation and metabolism in the affected joint area, reduce muscle spasms and normalize muscle function.
Traction therapy
In a hospital or medical sanatorium environment, traction therapy can be performed - this is traction of the joint (hip, knee) using a special technique that uses various loads.The standard traction scheme is designed for 28 days, with gradually increasing loads and contact times.Classical and more modern techniques using simulation are used.Their effectiveness is almost the same, but simulators provide more comfort to the patient.
Physical therapy
The use of various physical therapy techniques in the early stages of joint disease can significantly reduce pain and increase mobility in the affected joints.Physiotherapy courses help to slow down the pathological process and prolong the time without exacerbations.
Physiotherapy techniques are widely used for joint diseases:
Magnetic field therapy- local exposure to constant or alternating low-frequency magnetic fields.In the affected joint area, metabolism is accelerated, blood circulation and the supply of nutrients to joint structures increase, regeneration and synthesis of substances necessary for joint activity are activated.
Magnetic therapy has anti-edema, pain relief, anti-inflammatory effects almost from the first session, having a positive effect on the patient's general condition.Magnetic therapy is successfully used in hospitals and sanatoriums, where medical devices of various modifications are used.
A huge advantage for patients with joint diseases is the ability to carry out magnetic therapy treatments independently at home, as prescribed and under the supervision of the treating physician.Timely use of portable magnetic therapy devices allows you to stop the development of pain, start an exacerbation or carry out a preventive course - that is, maintain normal health.
A positive aspect of magnetic therapy can also be called the beneficial effect of the procedures on the state of the cardiovascular and nervous systems.Taking into account the fact that most patients with joint diseases are middle-aged and elderly people with some chronic diseases (arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, etc.), the mild and stabilizing sedative effect of magnetic therapy will be very useful.
Ultrasound therapyused more often in combination with the effects of drugs with anti-inflammatory, analgesic, restorative effects - ultrasound or phonology.Ultrasound increases tissue permeability to drugs, so their main effect is enhanced.Even without a medicinal component, this method is highly effective for joint diseases: ultrasound has a mechanical effect on (micro) tissue, activates local immune and regenerative processes in the joint area and neighboring muscles, and has a pronounced analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.
Laser therapy- one of the most popular and widely used procedures.The therapeutic effect is based on the reflex dilation of blood vessels above the site of the pathological process.This leads to an improvement in local blood flow, activation of metabolism, removal of poorly oxidized metabolic products and a decrease in pain intensity.Laser therapy, due to its shallow penetration depth, has the most pronounced systemic effect, while enhancing the treatment effectiveness of other procedures.
Shock wave therapy- high energy impact method.It is based on the piezoelectric effect.By applying a piezoelectric discharge to the pathological focus, several effects are achieved.Cells that cannot survive are destroyed, leading to the activation of local immunity.Dormant (dormant) cells are stimulated, promoting regeneration.At the same time, the intensity of the pain syndrome is significantly reduced (although the procedure itself is very painful).The undoubted advantage of the method is its use once every 4-7 days.
Diadynamic therapy– Method of healing effects on the body using electrodynamic pulses.The electrodynamic current used in this method rhythmically stimulates the skin receptors, which indirectly leads to the activation of downstream physiological mechanisms to inhibit pain and leads to a decrease in the patient's pain, up to complete pain relief.So, such procedures are effective for severe pain.
Electrical muscle stimulation– exposure to electrical current on muscle tissue.With arthritis in large joints, the work of surrounding muscles is disrupted, leading to atrophy of some joints and overload in others.Gait disorders develop.When exposed to alternating current according to a special program, the muscles contract rhythmically, creating a certain amount of work, which leads to the restoration of their volume and function.
Cryotherapy- Unfortunately, a simple and effective treatment method is rarely used.Local exposure to low temperatures reduces the sensitivity of pain receptors and synthesizes biologically active substances that stimulate the development of inflammation.After cryotherapy, reflex vasodilation occurs, local blood flow accelerates, and recovery processes are activated.This method is especially effective when combined with shock wave therapy.
Treatment with nourishing oils.In convalescent-sanatorium conditions, hydrotherapy is performed - medical baths, among which radon baths are especially effective for arthritis.There is a general effect on the body of radioactive decay products of radon dissolved in water.The most important effect is activation of metabolic processes.
A similar, although less pronounced effect is characteristic of therapeutic muds (peloids), hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide baths.
Surgical treatment
Surgical techniques are used in the final stages of joint disease, when joint mobility is severely limited or absent, affecting the patient's quality of life.Worldwide, many different joint replacement methods are used, helping to fully restore range of motion and return patients to an active life at any age.
The tactics and scope of surgical intervention are determined by the attending physician;The choice is based on parameters such as the patient's general condition, age and the presence of comorbidities, excess weight and others.The best results after endoscopy are achieved in young and middle-aged patients (almost complete recovery of range of motion), but in older people there is also a significant improvement in their condition, since after surgery and successful rehabilitation they can fully support themselves in everyday life and move not only in the apartment, but also outside without restrictions on communication.
prevent
Arthritis belongs to the group of diseases of upright gait and develops mainly due to age-related changes in the joints, enhanced by the influence of negative external factors.Paying attention to the condition of the musculoskeletal system, preventing joint diseases and treating joint diseases in the early stages allows you to maintain physical activity and avoid major medical intervention in the future.