The causes, symptoms and treatment of arthritis

Osteoarthritis is a disease whose symptoms everyone should know. It is a dangerous and widespread pathology at an early stage can be almost invisible, but as you progress, is able to feel the unbearable pain and even lead to disability. On the way to avoid this problem, we are going to talk about in our article.

Why osteoarthritis and when to proceed with his treatment

The sensation of the pain in the joints, the "clicks" when driving and the reduction of the mobility of the members often go unnoticed: most people don't attach value similar to the signals of the body. Meanwhile, these symptoms may indicate a serious disease of osteoarthritis.

Arthrosis deformans, is a disease which consists in the destruction and thinning of the articular cartilage. The canvas of the joint becomes more loose and develops, eventually leading to the appearance of the shoots and the inflammation of the inside of the joint.

Early, the patients experience a little discomfort with movements, that may not pay attention. The second phase of the disease occur severe pain, leading to a restriction of the mobility of the joint. The third step, in addition to the pain, accompanied by complete or almost complete destruction of the articular cartilage.

Significantly slow the progression of osteoarthritis, helping to maintain mobility of the limbs, and avoid serious surgery to the timely help of the therapy, and this is why it is so important at the first symptoms of ask a rheumatologist.

The treatment of osteoarthritis

From a european point of view of medicine, the treatment of this serious disease, such as osteoarthritis requires a comprehensive approach taking into account the symptomatology at different stages of the disease. Inside the curative, in addition to taking medication, include measures of weight reduction, kinesiotherapy, physiotherapy, and if necessary, prescribe surgery. The treatment program is established by the physician and rheumatologist, taking into account the localization of the disease, the characteristics of the body of a patient, but necessarily includes a range of actions aimed at combating manifestations of the disease.

The drug treatment

The first task that occurs during the treatment of oa is to relieve pain and inflammation of the joint. To do this prescribing of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen, ketorolac, piroxicam, diclofenac and their derivatives in the form of tablets, injections, gels, ointments or candles. Remember that the application of this group of medications only relieves the main symptoms of the disease. In addition, the prolonged intake of NSAIDS is able to accelerate the process of destruction of the cartilage, to apply, you must with great care, and on prescription from the doctor.

The use of analgesics is another way to rid the patient of pain. Unlike NSAIDS, analgesics to a lesser extent, relieve the inflammation, but the most effective in the fight against pain. If you are experiencing muscle cramps appoint antispasmodics, for example "Mydocalm". The two groups of drugs is used most often in injection to relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis and struggle with the disease, they are ineffective.

Chondroprotectors are one of the most important elements of drug treatment of osteoarthritis: they are saturating the cartilage tissue with nutrients, stimulating the growth of cells. The group chondroprotectors applies, for example, glucosamine, which is available in the form of tablets or capsules. Do not expect a rapid effect of the application chondroprotectors: improving the condition of cartilage, you may notice that after a long period of taking the medication. In addition, they won't help you in this case, if the disease has reached the third, the heaviest, the stage.

Vasodilating medicines are used to improve the blood circulation, as well as to eliminate the spasm of the small vessels. The reception of these drugs in combination with the protective cartilage strengthens the action of the last: the nutrients enter the cartilage tissue within a larger volume.

Physiotherapy

1. Shock-wave therapy. The application of shock wave therapy (UHT) with osteoarthritis helps to eliminate one of the main causes of pain: shipoopie bone shoots — osteophytes. Under the influence of the ultrasonic wave "spikes" soften and, over time, resorbed, improves the efficiency of blood circulation and the metabolism. When all the virtues, shock-wave therapy is effective only in the early stages of osteoarthritis and has a lot of contraindications, therefore, is appointed with caution.
2. Automated electromyostimulation with by raising. The use of electrical impulses to muscle contraction is recommended especially for bedridden patients, as well as in cases of severe injuries, physical exercises are contra-indicated. Although electromyostimulation is not the most frequent on the appointment of osteoarthritis, its use helps improve muscle tone and improve circulation, which has a positive impact on the dynamics of healing.
3. Phonophoresis. This procedure combines the two effects — the ultrasound and medication. Following the conduct of phonophoresis allows to increase the effect of medicines: through ultrasound of their substance are delivered to a "target" cell and digested by those much stronger.
4. The ozonothérapie. The introduction of the gaseous mixture in the joint capsule to reduce pain and inflammation, promotes the recovery of joint mobility, improves blood circulation. Generally, ozone therapy prescribe course of several injections depending on the severity of the disease.

The methods of the traditional chinese medicine

In chinese medicine, the restoration of the health of the joint begins with the diagnosis, during which is evaluated the general condition of the body and puts the finger on the first cause of osteoarthritis. And then the doctor is the program of the impact on the acupressure points. The integrated treatment of osteoarthritis includes the following methods of TCM:

• acupuncture (acupuncture) — staging of very fine needles to points in a specific combination;
• fitocompleks — "marc" based on medicinal plants;
• massoterapia — glow of the absinthe cigars;
• acupressure thuine.

Focus on acupuncture as the most effective method of treatment of traditional chinese medicine. Results of the treatment depend on the qualification of specialist. Being in the hands of a skilful physician, the patient will soon be able to note the improvement of health, accompanied by the withdraw of the pain, the recovery of joint mobility, strengthening of immunity, the normalization of blood circulation and metabolism[2].

Other methods of non-surgical treatment of osteoarthritis:

• Of the physiotherapy. The CFLS with osteoarthritis is considered to be an excellent way to improve traffic in the neighbourhood of the affected joint, as well as to strengthen muscles. Generally, the physician recommends that you begin with simple exercises, gradually increasing the number of repetitions.
• The mechanotherapy. Curative physical education, you can complete the mechanotherapy — exercises using simulators. The devices can increase the work load at the time of the gym (for different weights), with the protecting against the damage of the diseased joint. As KINESITHERAPY, mechanotherapy contributes to the improvement of the blood circulation, increase muscle tone.
• The stretching of the joints. The essence of the procedure lies in the mechanical "pulling" the joint on a special machine for 15 to 20 minutes. This helps reduce the load on the joint, slowing the progression of osteoarthritis and significantly reduce pain in the patient. The course is composed of 10 to 12 sessions, in order to improve and consolidate the results of the pass about once every six months.
• The lymphatic drainage and the warming massage. These procedures contribute to warming the patient of the phase, the removal of the spasms and the pain, improve the blood circulation in the joints. The lymphatic drainage and the warming massage can be applied during the reduction of the mobility of the patient.
• The appointment of a food intake. The correction of the weights is one of the ways to greatly reduce the load on the joint and slow the progression of osteoarthritis. Of course, maintaining a diet is not, in itself, promotes healing, but in combination with other procedures and can give a certain effect.
• Correction of a mode of life. To combat osteoarthritis, the patient will need to significantly review the usual way of life and start wearing only comfortable shoes, as comfortable furniture, women to renounce to high heels. It is also advisable to get rid of bad habits and to exclude it from the excessive exercise. In some cases, will benefit the port of a brace, a regular visit to the swimming pool and bathroom. The exhaustive list of recommendations, you can get from your doctor, who will, depending on the state of the patient.

The surgical treatment

1. Needling (minimally invasive intervention). Applies and for the diagnosis of the disease. In joint capsule introduce the needle, by taking one part of the liquid, — it allows to obtain the material for analyses, to reduce the load on the capsule, and when this is necessary and the introduction of corticosteroids directly in the focus of inflammation.
2. Arthroscopy diagnostic. Arthroscopy is an introductory special of the camera of the arthroscope through small incisions in the skin. This allows you to review carefully the joint, and remove the ones that had separated fragments of cartilage, eliminating the causes of inflammation and pain.
3. Osteotomy correction. The essence of this procedure is a deposit of the bones of the patient with their follow-up fixing another angle. The operation reduces the load on the joints and eliminate pain over a long period of time. Is this a radical impact is named, not often, too much load on the body of the patient and of the too long duration of rehabilitation.
4. The arthroplasty. In these cases, when other treatments have not helped, but the illness is completely or almost completely destroys the joints, they are replaced by prostheses made of plastic, metal or ceramic. The stent is a cumbersome and expensive operation requiring a long rehabilitation. Many patients for several months after a surgical intervention is tormented by the pain. However, the arthroplasty patient is often the only alternative to the prospect of being locked-in. The life span of prostheses modern reached twenty years, and all these years, the patient will be able to live a full life.

The symptoms and characteristics of treatment of arthrosis of different types of

In spite of the common features in the symptoms of osteoarthritis of different joints has its signs, and treatment characteristics. For example, the use of ointments with osteoarthritis of the hip is ineffective due to muscle and adipose tissue, which prevents the penetration of the drug to the site of the inflammation. On the other hand, the same ointments well show when the application on the knee or the elbow is a joint. Let's see what are the symptoms are characteristic of osteoarthritis of the joints (ankle, knee, elbow, shoulder, fingers, hands and hip) and treatment adapted to each case.

• The treatment of osteoarthritis of the joints of the hand (the fingers of the hand). At the early stage of the disease presents itself as a small crack and a slight pain during movements of the arm, but the absence of treatment is visually perceptible: on the phalanges in the joints produce significant thickening. The pain intensifies and becomes constant, you receive sensations of burning and pulsation in the fingers. To relieve the pain and inflammation apply of NSAIDS and corticosteroids to slow down the destruction of cartilage — massage, chondroprotectors, the stretching of the fingers.
• The treatment of osteoarthritis in the shoulder joint. Painful muscle spasms, decreased mobility of the hands, the back pain, the increase and the removal of the other — these are all symptoms of osteoarthritis in the shoulder joint. Prescribe massage, curative physical education combined with the application of antispasmodic drugs and intra-articular injection of pain medication.
• The treatment of osteoarthritis of the elbow joint. The symptoms of the disease of the elbow joint is a loud crack when the bending of the hands to the elbows and the movement of the pom-poms, "shooting" pain and weakness in the muscles. To get rid of this type of osteoarthritis that apply physical therapy, compresses, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of ointments.
• The treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip. For oa TBS characteristic "soft" cracking of joints, pain, or sensations in the lower back when driving or strong fatigue. In the treatment of the disease to prescribe analgesics in the injection mold, of capsules or tablets, compresses with anti-inflammatory properties of solutions.
• The treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. The Patients knee patients complain of cracking noises during movement, pain in the calf area, especially in the case of high loads, the increase of the size of the municipality. In thrapeutique includes: shock-wave therapy, stretching of the joints, physiotherapy, the application of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ointments), as well as the use of compresses.
• The treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle. A tingling sensation, redness, a creaking, popping sounds in the area of the foot fatigue when walking — these symptoms show the development of osteoarthritis of the ankle. In the treatment of this type of disease effective physiotherapy, massage therapy, recipients. It should also reduce the load on the ankle.

In order to avoid the onset of osteoarthritis, especially in the presence of a predisposition, it is necessary to follow simple rules: wear comfortable shoes, maintain physical activity, while respecting the extent with the charges, to avoid injuries and hypothermia. For the prevention of the disease is particularly important to maintain a normal weight, in fact, all of the excess kilogram increases the load on the joints.