Osteoarthritis (arthritis) of the joints is a pathological dystrophic process in which there is a slow destruction of the various layers and tissues. Each person should clearly understand how the treatment of osteoarthritis is carried out, since neither adults, children nor the elderly are insured against the disease. If there is a suspicion of the development of osteoarthritis, what it is and in order to overcome different types, you need to find out thoroughly.
Depending on the location of the pathological process and the severity of damage, several types of diseases are distinguished in medicine, on which the treatment of osteoarthritis also depends. Naturally, a person who has encountered such a diagnosis for the first time should strive to learn as much as possible about what osteoarthritis is. Consider the most diagnosed variants of the disease.
Views
Pathology can be of the following types:
- Osteoarthritis, which is typical, affects all segments of the population and is a fairly common disease. He was diagnosed at the age of 40 to 60. Osteoarthritis of the ankle and foot is quite common.
- Patella-femoral osteoarthritis occurs under the kneecap. The causes of this type of osteoarthritis lie in the defeat of the patellofemoral joint.
- Hemarthrosis is bleeding into a cavity. It is often osteoarthritis of the lower limbs that affects the knee.
- Polyarthrosis is a group of dystrophic lesions and is diagnosed mainly in older people. This species is considered an independent disease. Treatment should be selected by the attending physician, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient.
- One type of rheumatic pathology or rheumatoid arthritis occurs due to improper metabolism.
Osteoarthritis
It is best to treat 1st degree osteoarthritis and 2nd degree osteoarthritis. Initially, there is a decrease in the elasticity of the surface layers of cartilage, accompanied by its softening and loosening. During the pathological process, the condition worsens, and the surface becomes too thin, splits into fibers, which leads to the appearance of cracks.
Pathological changes in the joint surface in osteoarthritis
When grade 3 osteoarthritis is diagnosed, the patient already has erosive lesions of the cartilage with sufficiently deep cracks, but the subchondral bone and deep sections are not damaged.
If osteoarthritis is diagnosed, treatment will be drug. It is based on taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (within 10 days of the treatment). Treatment of osteoarthritis in the second stage may require the appointment of hormonal drugs, which are injected into the damaged joint by injection. It is also possible to treat with compresses and recipes of traditional medicine, but only in combination with drugs. Only a doctor will tell in more detail how to treat osteoarthritis, and he should be informed about the decision to combine traditional and traditional medicine.
Patellar femoris
If a patient has been diagnosed with patellofemoral osteoarthritis of the knee joint, it is important to know how to treat it and what is happening at each stage of the disease process.
With 1 degree of osteoarthritis, they speak of daily fatigue, or situations where the legs are severely overworked or overworked. But in the presence of unpleasant symptoms (pain, fatigue, heaviness in the knee) or after an injury, a second degree of osteoarthritis is diagnosed. If you don't know how to treat it or if you do it out of time, cartilage tissue dystrophy will begin.
Patellofemoral osteoarthritis does not have its own treatment regimen. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, doctors decide whether it is necessary to fix it with a knee brace or orthosis, and osteoarthritis can also be treated by reducing physical exertion and taking pain relievers.
When you know what osteoarthritis is and how to deal with it, you can start taking medication on time, which will help maintain joint mobility and overall health.
Hemarthrosis
A characteristic feature of this type of joint injury like hemarthrosis is the shedding of blood in its joint cavity. Most often, this condition is diagnosed in people prone to hemophilia. During the 1st degree of osteoarthritis, there are hardly any visible and felt changes, and the structures and tissues of the joint are not damaged. In the 2nd degree of osteoarthritis, the soft tissues are damaged (menisci and ligaments, joint capsule).
The procedure of pumping blood from the joint cavity with hemarthrosis
Hemarthrosis is treated with drugs in several stages:
- First of all, cleaning the joint cavity from leaking blood is carried out with the help of a puncture;
- Then, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are injected into the joint by injection;
- And in conclusion, they prescribe a course of taking synthetic agents that contribute to the restoration of the joint.
The treatment regimen directly depends on the severity of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and the extent to which the disease has been detected.
Polyarthrosis
Before talking about methods of treatment, you need to determine what signs of osteoarthritis are characteristic of this species.
Polyarthrosis is characterized by:
- multiple lesions of different joints;
- limitation of physical activity;
- pain when moving fingers;
- swelling of damaged joints;
- the appearance of nodules on the thickened bones;
- narrowing of the joint space.
Polyarthrosis is dangerous, because it immediately affects several joints, therefore it requires the correct approach to treatment and the selection of the appropriate drugs.
Now in detail on how to treat osteoarthritis of this type. First of all, therapy is aimed at restoring physical activity. Talking about how to cure osteoarthritis with the help of drugs, you need to remember about physical procedures, which are very effective in such a lesion. It can be seen here as a cure with heat or water. Balneotherapy too.
If the patient suffers from osteoarthritis of the joints, the doctor will definitely prescribe the intake of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Intra-articular injections of glucocorticoids and chondroprotectors also help well. Relieve pain and discomfort, various ointments, compresses, rubbing.
It is not forbidden to select a drug for osteoarthritis from the recipes of traditional medicine, but it should be agreed with the attending physician, which will avoid complications. If the described methods are not effective, the doctor will consider the possibility of resolving the problem with surgery.
It is very important not only to know how to treat osteoarthritis, but also to remember that there is a correct prevention of osteoarthritis, which we will talk about later.
Degrees
Osteoarthritis, hemarthrosis, polyarthrosis and patellofemoral osteoarthritis occur in three stages. The symptoms and treatment of osteoarthritis in each clinical case will be different, so there is no one-size-fits-all treatment regimen.
There are 3 degrees of pathology:
- 1 degree of osteoarthritis - characterized by a narrowing of the gap and the absence of osteophytes;
- 2 degree of osteoarthritis - a slight narrowing of the gap is accompanied by the formation of osteophytes;
- 3rd degree of osteoarthritis - severe narrowing of joint space, multiple osteophytes and bone deformity.
At each stage, the treatment of osteoarthritis should be carried out by a qualified specialist, otherwise the treatment may not give the necessary results and the process will worsen.
Folk remedies
As for folk remedies for the treatment of the disease, here you will find a lot of worthy, easy to implement and effective recipes. Consider a few of them.
Fermented dairy products and chalk
To cook, you need to find peeled chalk and turn it into small crumbs. The ideal option would be material written on chalkboards. Also note that if you buy chalk offered at a building supply store, it may contain chemicals that can do more harm.
The resulting mass should be poured with any fermented dairy product and mixed well until a homogeneous mass is obtained. What you have done should be carefully laid out in the affected area, wrapped in cling film and secured with a bandage. Leave the mixture overnight and in the morning rinse off with lukewarm water and soap. As a result, the pains disappear and the blood circulation improves.
groats
A very economical and simple but effective recipe. You need to take 100 grams of oatmeal and pour boiling water over it. Then put the mass on a small fire and simmer for five minutes. After the time has elapsed, a slurry will be obtained, which will be applied to the sore spot. It is advisable to leave the compress overnight. Please note that oatmeal should only be used freshly made.
Fern leaves
If there is such a plant at home, you can donate a few leaves for your health. Otherwise, in the summer they are collected in the forest, then applied to the affected area, wrapped in a bandage and left overnight. The effect will not be long in coming.
Propolis
Beekeeping products are known in folk medicine for their good medicinal properties against many diseases. You need to take propolis and melt it in a water bath (this should be enough to treat the damaged area). When it becomes liquid, you need to add corn or sunflower oil, wait for the mixture to cool, apply to the skin and let sit overnight. In the morning, the pain and swelling will go away.
Prophylaxis
If you set a goal and try to find a drug with which to prevent osteoarthritis, the attempt will not be successful, because it is absent. The pathology cannot be predicted with precision, but it is quite possible to reduce the risk of osteoarthritis.
To prevent joint destruction, you can:
- Avoid as much as possible injuries and mechanical damage of varying severity;
- Try to treat all diseases associated with the joints on time;
- Treat all infectious and viral diseases;
- Do not overload the joints;
- To live an active life;
- Eat well;
- Exercise every day.
Now you know all about the symptoms and treatment of osteoarthritis of the most common types, and if you follow these simple recommendations, the disease will not make itself felt for a long time, and if you are lucky, it will not manifest itself. never at all.