Causes, symptoms and treatment of Arthritis

Osteoarthritis — a disease, the symptoms that everyone should know. This dangerous and widespread disease at an early stage can almost walks invisible, however, is able to cause severe pain and even disability lead. About how to avoid this, we will discuss in our article.

What causes osteoarthritis and what treatment should be

Pain in the joints, "clicks" in the movement and the reduction of the mobility of the extremities often go unnoticed: most of a people have no great importance to similar signals of the body. In the meantime, these symptoms indicate a serious disease — osteoarthritis.

Deforming osteoarthritis, is a disease in which tissue destruction and thinning articular cartilage. In this tissue of the joint is always loose and running rampant, what, in sum to the emergence of bony transverse processes, and the inflammation within the joint.

In an early stage, the patients may experience mild discomfort during the movements experience that can not be ignored. In the second Phase of the disease, severe pain, restriction of mobility of the joints occur. The third stage, apart from the pain, accompanied by a complete or almost complete destruction of the articular cartilage.

To slow down significantly the progression of osteoarthritis help to avoid the mobility of the limbs, and severe surgical procedure, with timely therapy, therefore, it is appeal so rheumatologist is important at the first signs.

The treatment of osteoarthritis

In relation to the European medicine, the treatment of such a serious disease, such as osteoarthritis, requires an integrated approach, taking into account the symptoms at different stages of the disease. In the complex of therapeutic measures, with the exception of drugs, are measures to reduce the weight, kinesitherapy, physiotherapy and, if necessary, prescribed a surgical procedure. The program of the treatment of selected physician-rheumatologist, taking into account the localization of the disease, peculiarities of the organism of the patient, but necessarily includes a range of actions to combat the symptoms of the disease.

Drug Treatment

The first task in the treatment of osteoarthritis, the relief of pain and inflammation in the joint. These include non-steroidal anti — inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Ibuprofen, Ketorolac, Piroxicam, diclofenac and its derivatives-in the Form of tablets, injections, gels, ointments or suppositories rectal ways. Keep in mind that the application of this group of drugs relieves only the main symptoms of the disease. In addition, long-term use of NSAIDs is able to speed up the process of destruction of cartilage and must, therefore, with great caution and only with doctor's prescription.

The use of analgesics is another way to free patients of pain. In contrast to NSAIDs, analgesics, to a lesser extent Standard to alleviate inflammatory processes, but more effective in the control of pain. Upon the occurrence of muscle spasms antispasmodics, for example, "Mydocalm prescribe". Both groups most commonly used drugs in the Form of injections to relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis, and for the fight against the disease, which they themselves ineffective.

Chondroprotectors are one of the most important components of the drug treatment of osteoarthritis: saturate cartilage tissue with nutrients, stimulates the growth of cells. To the group chondroprotectors are glucosamine include, for example, in the Form of tablets or capsules. Don't expect quick effect from the application of chondroprotectors: to improve the condition of the cartilage can notice only after a longer intake of medicines. In addition, you can't help, when the disease reached the third, most severe, stage.

Vasodilators used to improve the flow of blood, as well as for the elimination of spasm of small vessels. Taking this medication in combination with cartilage protectors enhances the effect of the past: the food substances are in the cartilaginous tissue to a greater extent.

Physiotherapy

1. Shock-wave therapy. The application of shock wave therapy (UHT) in the case of osteoarthritis eliminates one of the main causes of pain: shipoopie projections — osteophytes bony. Under the action of ultrasonic waves, "" spines are soft and with time absorbed, improves the efficiency of blood circulation and metabolic processes. With all the advantages that shock wave therapy is effective only in the early stages of osteoarthritis and has a lot of contraindications, therefore, with caution to be appointed.
2. Automated electromyostimulation with the verticalization. The use of electrical impulses for the contraction of the muscles, it is advisable especially for bedridden patients, as well as in the presence of a strong injury, if the necessary are physical exercises is contraindicated. Although electromyostimulation is the most common prescription for arthritis, the use of which contributes to the increase of the muscle tone and improve blood circulation, which positively affects the dynamics of the recovery.
3. Phonophoresis. This method combines two types of effects — ultrasonic waves and drugs. As a result of the implementation of the phonophoresis can sometimes the effect of drugs increase: thanks to the ultrasonic substance of the cells are digested and the more active is delivered to the "target".
4. Ozone therapy. The introduction of the gas mixture in the joint capsule to reduce pain and inflammation, promotes the restoration of mobility of joints, improves the circulation of blood. In General, ozone therapy course of several stitches administered depending on the severity of the disease.

The methods of traditional Chinese medicine

In Chinese medicine, the restoration of the health of the joint begins with the diagnosis, while a statement about the General state of the organism and the cause of the osteoarthritis. Then the doctor makes the program is the impact on biologically active points. The complex treatment of osteoarthritis includes the following methods of TCM:

• Acupuncture (acupuncture) — production of very fine needles on the points in a certain combination;
• fitocompleks — "pomace" from healing herbs;
• massoterapia — hot polinnimi of cigars run;
• Acupressure thuine.

With the focus on acupuncture as the most effective method of treatment in traditional Chinese medicine. The results of the therapy depend on the qualifications of the expert. While in the hands of an experienced physician and the Patient in a short period of time, the improvement of well-being is accompanied by the reduction of pain, restoration of mobility of joints, strengthening of the immune system, normalization of blood flow and metabolism[2].

Other methods of non-surgical treatment of osteoarthritis:

• Physiotherapy. Exercise therapy in osteoarthritis is considered to be an excellent way to improve the blood circulation in the area of the affected joint, as well as to the strengthening of the muscles. Usually the doctor recommends to start with simple exercises, gradually increasing the number of repetitions.
• Mechano-therapy. Exercise therapy, mechanotherapy exercises with special training devices can complement. The devices allow for the increased load during exercise (due to the different weighting), the diseased joint fencing from damage. Such as movement therapy, mechano-therapy contributes to the improvement of the blood circulation, increase muscle tone.
• Traction of the joints. The essence of go back of the method consists of a mechanical "pulling" of the joint on a special device within 15-20 minutes. This reduces the load on the joint, the progression of osteoarthritis, slow down and reduce the sensation of pain in the patient. The course, consisting of 10 to 12 sessions, for the improvement and fixing of the result about once in six months.
• Lymphatic drainage warming and Massage. These procedures contribute to warming patients in the Phase, in the case of spasms and pain, improve blood circulation in the joints. Lymphatic drainage warming and Massage can be applied in the case of reduced mobility of the patient.
• The appointment of diet. Weight control is a way to significantly reduce the stress on the joints and the progression of osteoarthritis, slow down. Of course, maintaining the food is not conducive to recovery, however, in combination with other methods, is capable of a certain effect.
• Correction of the life style. To combat osteoarthritis patients to significantly the usual life, revise posture, and start you wear only comfortable shoes, which you could do without only with comfortable furniture, women High Heels. It is also desirable, to get rid of bad habits and eliminate excessive physical strain. In some cases, the wearing of an orthotic benefit, the regular use of the Pools and the Saunas. A comprehensive list of recommendations you get from the doctor, which this is starting from the condition of the patient.

Surgical Treatment

1. Puncture (minimally invasive procedures). Applies to the diagnosis of diseases. In the joint capsule of the needle insertion, wherein a portion of the liquid, allows a Material for analyses, to reduce the load on the capsule, if required, also enter and corticosteroid drugs directly into the inflammatory focus.
2. Diagnostic Arthroscopy. Arthroscopy is an introduction to the special apparatus of the arthroscope through the incisions in the skin. This makes it possible to examine carefully, to remove the joint, but also the fragments of cartilage by eliminating the cause of the inflammation and the pain.
3. Osteotomy Correction. The essence of this surgical procedure consists in the submission of the bone benefits of patients with their subsequent fixation from a different angle. The Operation reduces the load on the joints and eliminate the pain over a longer period of time. This radical action is assigned, rarely is the load on the body of the patient and to the long — lasting duration of the Rehabilitation.
4. Arthroplasty. In those cases, when other treatments have not helped, the disease completely or almost completely destroyed joints, replace prostheses made of plastic, metal or ceramic. Arthroplasty — a serious and expensive surgery requires a longer Rehabilitation. Many patients in pain within a few months after the Operation. However, the prosthesis for the patients immobilized often will be the only Alternative perspectives. The life of modern prostheses reached twenty years, and in all these years, the Patient will be able to live a full life.

Symptoms and characteristics of the treatment of various types of Arthritis

Despite the similarities in the symptoms of, osteoarthritis of various joints of his own characteristics and the characteristics of the treatment. For example, the use of ointments for osteoarthritis of the hip joint is inefficient tissue due to muscle and fat, the penetration of the drug to the site of inflammation. But the same ointments show well when applied to the king's meadow or elbow joint. We look at what symptoms are typical for osteoarthritis of the joints (ankle joint, king's meadow, elbow, shoulder, Finger and hip) and what type of treatment is for each of the cases.

• Treatment of osteoarthritis of the joints of the Hand (Finger). In an early stage of the disease only a little bit of Crunch and mild pain is felt during the movement of the hands, but in the absence of the treatment visually: on the finger bone in the area of the joints noticeable thickenings arise. The pain is amplified and constant, is the feeling of burning and pulsation in the fingers. For the relief of pain and inflammation NSAIDs and corticosteroids used for the slowing down the destruction of cartilage Massage, chondroprotectors, traction Finger.
• The treatment of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint. Painful muscle spasms, decreased mobility of the arms, "back pain" when lifting and abduction in the Hand — these are all symptoms of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint. Require, Massage, movement therapy, in combination with the application of antispasmodics, and intra-articular injections of painkillers.
• The treatment of osteoarthritis of the elbow joint. Symptoms of disease of the elbow joint is a loud grinding when bending Hand in the elbow and the movement of the hands, "stabbing" pain and weakness in the muscles. For the liberation of this type of arthritis physiotherapy compress and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs apply, in the Form of ointments.
• The treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip joint. For osteoarthritis hips typical of the "soft" pohrustyvanie joints, pain or discomfort in the lower back during the movement, or excessive fatigue. In the treatment of diseases painkillers in the Form of injections, capsules or tablets, compresses with inflammatory prescribed retardant solutions.
• The treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint. In the case of osteoarthritis of the knee, patients complain of crunchy sounds during movement, pain in the calves, especially in the case of heavy loads, the increase in the size of the joint. In the complex therapy shock wave therapy, stretching of the joints, physiotherapy, application of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ointments), as well as the use of compresses include:.
• Treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle. Tingling, redness, crunching, cracking noises in the area of the foot, fast fatigue when walking — these symptoms are evidence of the development of the osteoarthritis joint in the ankle. In the treatment of this type of disease effective physiotherapy, massage and therapeutic baths. Also, the load should reduce on the ankle.

To prevent osteoarthritis, especially in the presence of predispositions to observe simple rules: wear comfortable shoes, the physical activity support, note the level in the case of loads, the prevention of injury and hypothermia. For the prevention of diseases, especially important to a normal weight, because every extra pound increases the load on the joints.