Causes, symptoms and treatment of arthritis

Osteoarthritis — the disease, the symptoms of which everyone should know. This dangerous and very frequent pathology in the early stage can be almost invisible, however, continues that it is able to cause unbearable pain and even lead to disability. About how to avoid it, discuss in our article.

Why does osteoarthritis and when it is necessary to approach to its treatment

Feelings of pain in the joints, "clicks" while driving and reduces the mobility of the limbs often remain unnoticed: most people gives values similar to the signals of your body. Between these symptoms may be indicative of serious disease — osteoarthritis.

Deforming arthrosis is a disease which consists in the degradation and thinning of the articular cartilage. When this tissue of the joint becomes more loose and rising, which sees eventually to the formation of bony processes and inflammation inside the joint.

In the early stage, patients experience mild discomfort during movement, which may not pay attention. In the second stage of the disease there are severe pain, which lead to limitation of motion of the joint. The third phase, in addition to pain, is accompanied by a full helena the almost complete destruction of the articular cartilage.

Significantly slow the development of arthritis, to help maintain mobility of the limbs and avoid serious surgery is possible by early therapy — this is the reason why it is so important, when the first symptoms, seek a rheumatologist.

Treatment of arthrosis

From the point of view of european medicine, the treatment of this serious disease, such as osteoarthritis requires a comprehensive approach with regard to the symptomatology in the different stages of the disease. The complex of therapeutic measures, in addition to receiving medications, including activities to reduce weight, kinesiotherapy, physical therapy, and if necessary prescribe surgical intervention. The Program of treatment is compiled by a doctor-a rheumatologist, taking into account the localization of the disease, the characteristics of the organism of the patient, but necessarily involves the whole range of actions aimed at combating manifestations of the disease.

Treatment treatment

The first task of the nascent in the treatment of arthrosis, becomes the elimination of pain and inflammation in the joint. For this prescribe a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen, Ketorolac, piroxicam, diclofenac and their derivatives — in the form of tablets, injections, gels, ointments helena rectal candles. Remember that the use of this group of drugs only removes the main symptoms of the disease. In addition, long-term use of NSAIDS is able to accelerate the process of destruction of cartilage, so their use should be with great caution and only on prescription.

The use of analgesics is another way to relieve the patient from painful sensations. Unlike NSAIDS analgesics to a lesser extent to eliminate the inflammatory processes, but is more effective in the fight with pain. Upon the occurrence of muscle cramps prescribe antispasmodics, such as "Mydocalm". Both groups of drugs most frequently applied in the form of injection for relieving symptoms of arthritis and for fighting with each other diseases are ineffective.

Chondroprotectors are one of the most important part of the pharmacological treatment of osteoarthritis: they saturate the cartilage tissue with nutrients, stimulates the growth of cells. To a group of chondroprotectors include, for example, glucosamine, since in the form of tablets helena capsules. Do not expect a rapid effect from the use of chondroprotectors: improve the condition of the cartilage is possible only after a long intake of drugs. In addition, they will not help in that case, that the disease has reached the third, most difficult stage.

Vasodilator drugs are used to improve blood flow, and also for removal of spasm of the small blood vessels. The adoption of these drugs in combination with the cartilage of the knee increases the effect of the last: the nutrients received in the cartilage tissue to a greater extent.

Physiotherapy

1. Shock-wave therapy. The application of shock wave therapy (durable goat) in osteoarthritis allows you to remove one of the main causes of pain: shipoopie bone processes — osteophytes. Under the influence of ultrasonic waves "peak" to soften and eventually resolve, improves the efficiency of blood flow and metabolic processes. In all the virtues, shock-wave therapy is effective only in the initial stages of osteoarthritis and has a lot of contraindications, so it is appointed with caution.
2. Automated electromyostimulation with the verticalization. The use of electrical impulses for the contraction of muscles is particularly suitable for lying patients, but also in the presence of a strong injury, if the necessary exercises contraindicated. Although electromyostimulation is the most common appointment in osteoarthritis, its use helps to increase tone of muscle and improve blood circulation, which has a positive effect on the dynamics of the healing process.
3. Phonophoresis. This procedure combines in itself two types of exposure — ultrasonic waves and the drug medications. As a result, the phonophoresis allows several times to increase the effect of drugs: thanks to the ultrasound of their substance are delivered to the "target" cells and assimilated by the significantly active.
4. The ozone therapy. Introduction of the gas mixture in the joint capsule reduces pain and inflammation and helps restore joint mobility, improves blood circulation. As usual, the ozone therapy is prescribed a course of several injections depending on the severity of the disease.

Methods of traditional chinese medicine

In chinese medicine is to restore the health of the joint begins with the diagnosis, when assessing the overall condition of the body and taped the main cause of arthrosis. Then the doctor is the program impact on biologically active points. A comprehensive treatment of osteoarthritis includes the following methods of traditional chinese MEDICINE:

• acupuncture (acupuncture) — represent the fine needles on points in a certain combination;
• fitocompleks — "marc" of medicinal herbs;
• massoterapia — preheat wormwood cigars;
• acupressure thuine.

When it focuses on the study of acupuncture as the most effective methods of treatment in traditional chinese medicine. The results of treatment are largely dependent on the qualifications of a specialist. Be in the hands of the skilful physician, the patient will soon be able to note improvement in well-being, accompanied by the removal of pain, restore joint mobility, strengthen immunity, ways fought against the normalization of blood circulation and metabolism[2].

Other methods of non-surgical treatments for osteoarthritis:

• Therapeutic physical education. Physical therapy in osteoarthritis is considered to be a great way to improve blood circulation in the area of the affected joint, but also to strengthen the muscles. Usually, the doctor recommended to start with simple exercises, gradually increasing the number of repetitions.
• Mechanotherapy. Therapeutic physical training it is possible to supplement the mechanotherapy — exercises with the use of special exercise. Machines allow you to increase the load during exercise (through a variety of weighting), when this fence before the damage to the diseased joint. How and exercise therapy, mechanotherapy helps to improve blood circulation, increase the tone of the muscles.
• Traction of the joints. The essence of the procedure consists in a mechanical "pulling" of the joint on a special device for 15-20 minutes. It allows to reduce the load on the joint, slow the development of osteoarthritis and significantly reduce pain sensations in the patient. A course consisting of 10 to 12 sessions, to improve and consolidate the result of spending approximately once per semester.
• Lymphatic drainage and warming massage. These procedures contribute to the warming of the patient land, degradation of spasm and pain, improve blood circulation in the joints. Lymphatic drainage and warming massage, it is possible to use and in the limited momentum of the patient.
• The designation diet. Correction of weight is one of the ways to significantly reduce the load on the joint and slow the development of arthritis. Of course, maintaining a diet uncle by itself does not lead to healing, but in combination with other procedures is able to give a certain effect.
• Correction lifestyle. To fight joint arthritis suffering from the patient will have to significantly rethink the usual life way and start to wear only comfortable shoes, only use the comfortable furniture, the women have to give up high heels. It is also desirable to get rid of bad habits, and eliminate the excessive physical burden. In some cases they are beneficial to wear the brace, regular visits to the swimming pool and sauna. For a complete list of recommendations it is possible to obtain from the attending physician, which will be based on the condition of the patient.

Surgical treatment

1. Puncture (minimally invasive intervention). Applies to the diagnosis of the disease. In the joint capsule injected the needle, take away part of the fluid — this will allow you to obtain material for analysis, reduce the burden on the capsule, and if necessary even to enter a corticosteroid medication directly into a hotbed of inflammation.
2. Arthroscopy diagnostic. Arthroscopy represents the introduction of a special device the arthroscope through incisions in the skin. It allows you to carefully examine the joint, but also to remove the separated fragments of cartilage, which causes the inflammatory process and pain.
3. The osteotomy correction. The essence of this surgical procedure is the filing of the bones of the sick person with their subsequent push from a different angle. The operation allows to reduce the load on the joint and remove the pain for a long time. It's a radical impact associated with rare — too much of a burden on the body of the patient, and too long of a period of rehabilitation.
4. Joint. In cases where other treatments fail, and the disease is completely helena almost completely destroyed the joints, replacing them with prosthetics made of plastic, metal, helena ceramics. Joint — is a difficult and expensive operation, which requires a longer rehabilitation. Many patients within a few months after surgery plague pain. However, the joint for the patient is often the only alternative prospects be immobilized. The life of the modern prosthesis reaches twenty years, and all these years the patient will be able to live a full life.

The symptoms and characteristics of arthritis treatment of different kinds of

Despite the common features in the symptoms of osteoarthritis of different joints has its characters and properties of the drug. For example, the use of the ointment in arthrosis of the hip joint ineffective because of the muscle and adipose tissue, the inhibitory get the drug to the site of inflammation. But the same ointment good show is when applied to the knee helena ulnar joint. Let's see, what symptoms are characteristic of arthrosis of the joints (ankle, knee, elbow, shoulder, fingers and hip) and what treatment is appropriate for each of the cases.

• Treatment of arthrosis of the joints of the brush (fingers). In the early stage of the disease is issued just a little crunch and a slight pain during movements of the hand, but if left untreated, it becomes apparent visually: the phalanges in the area of the joints formed a noticeable thickening of the. The pain intensifies and becomes constant, appear burning sensations and pulsations in the fingers. For removing the pain and inflammation apply a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents and corticosteroids to slow down the destruction of cartilage — massage, chondroprotectors, traction of the fingers.
• Treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint. Painful muscle spasms, reduced mobility of the hand, "back pain" while lifting and lead their side — all these are signs of arthrosis of the shoulder joint. Prescribe massage, therapeutic physical training in combination with the use of antispasmodics and intra-articular injection of pain medication on the prescription.
• Treatment of arthritis of the elbow joint. The symptoms of the disease in the area of the elbow joint is the loud crunching when flexion of the arms at the elbows and in the movement of the tassels, "radiating" pain and weakness in the muscles. How to get rid of this type of arthrosis is true physiotherapy, body wraps and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of an ointment.
• Treatment of arthrosis of the hip joint. For arthrosis of the MRF typical "soft" popping of the joints, painful helena unpleasant sensations in the lower part of the back while driving helena strong fatigue. In the treatment of diseases prescribe pain medication in the form of injections, capsules, helena tablets, compresses with anti-inflammatory solutions.
• Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint. In gonarthrosis patients complain about the crunchy sounds when moving, painful sensations in the area of the calf, especially during heavy load, increase the size of the joint. In the complex therapy include: shock-wave therapy, traction, joint, therapeutic physical training, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ointments), as well as the use of tiles.
• Treatment of arthrosis of the ankle joint. A tingling feeling, redness, crunching, clicking in the area of the legs, rapid fatigue when walking — these symptoms indicate the development of arthrosis of the ankle joint. In the treatment of this type of disease are effective physiotherapy, massage and therapeutic baths. Also it is necessary to reduce the burden on the ankle.

To prevent the occurrence of arthrosis, especially in the presence of the predisposition, it is necessary to adhere to simple rules: wear comfortable shoes, maintain physical activity, while respecting the measures at the load, avoid injuries and hypothermia. For the prevention of disease is especially important to maintain a normal weight, because every extra kilogram increases the load on the joints.