Arthrosis of the hip, shoulder, knee and ankle joints is a disease that occurs as a result of wear and tear of cartilaginous tissue, as well as deformation of bones.In this case, the patient feels pain of varying intensity (depending on the form of the disease).As a result, the disease leads to problems with motor functions, partial or total immobility and disability.It is important to determine whether osteoarthritis can be cured without surgery.
Definition of injury
Knee joint disease occurs more often in women;this can occur for several reasons.Elderly people experience osteoarthritis in the knee joint more often than others.
If osteoarthritis treatment is not started on time, the bones that form the joints will be exposed and damaged.In this case, it will be impossible to do without surgical intervention.When the first unpleasant symptoms appear, it is important to seek help from a doctor as soon as possible.It will not be able to completely eliminate arthrosis, but it will help slow down the process of deformation of the knee joint and stop degeneration.Early identification of the injury and properly formulated treatment will help avoid negative consequences and early disability.
What are the common causes of osteoarthritis of the knee joint and can the disease be cured?The main reasons include:
- Flat feet.
- Vein diseases.
- Diabetes and other injuries associated with metabolic disorders.In this case, it will be difficult to get rid of arthrosis, since not all medications and physical procedures can be used.
- Excess weight - people with weight problems experience osteoarthritis much more often than people with normal body weight.
- Adolescence - this is when a person's metabolism and hormonal levels change, which leads to a degenerative process.
- Carrying a child - at this time a woman gains weight, as a result of which the load on the knee part increases significantly.Hormone levels are disturbed, which contributes to the appearance of osteoarthritis of the knees.
- Changes in the body associated with the patient's age.
- Receiving certain injuries.About 30 percent of knee osteoarthritis occurs due to injury.The injury leads to a change in the normal structure of the tissue, which causes the destruction process.
- Regular physical activity in the lower legs, to which the body has not adapted.
- The beginning of the inflammation process in the body.
- Hereditary predisposition.
- The appearance of cramps in the muscle tissues of the thigh.
The disease can only be cured if you contact a treatment specialist.In this case, it is prohibited to start any treatment on your own.Only a specialist will be able to prescribe effective therapy, which will include physiotherapy and medication.
Preventive measures
It is important to remember preventive measures even before the underlying disease appears.Osteoarthritis can be divided into two types.The first occurs due to a violation of the metabolic process in the body, as well as the age characteristics of the patient.
The second type appears as a result of injury or infection.To prevent the second type of arthrosis, it is important to avoid possible injuries, bruises and fractures.This applies to a greater extent to those who practice sports or dance.For these people, this disease often becomes professional and prevents them from doing what they love.This also applies to children who are very active and behave carelessly on the street;It is important that they behave carefully so as not to injure themselves dangerously.
The main factor that will help avoid osteoarthritis of the deformed knee joint is mobility.The best way to prevent osteoarthritis is moderate exercise.This is especially important for people whose work activity involves predominantly sedentary work.It is important to remember that in this case we are talking about a moderate load on the different joints.
Main stages of the disease
Osteoarthritis can be divided into four distinct phases according to its development.The more advanced the stage, the more difficult the treatment and symptom relief process will be:
- at the first stage, the symptoms are mild, but the process of tissue destruction is already spreading rapidly;
- the destruction of cartilage continues, which leads to a decrease in the mobility of the leg in the joint area and is accompanied by severe pain;
- in this case, the cartilaginous tissue becomes thinner, the joint-forming bones begin to grow actively and are damaged;
- at the last stage of the development of the disease, the cartilage is almost completely destroyed, bone deformation leads to a change in the axis of the diseased limb, while the joint ceases to withstand the pressure exerted on it and the leg at the knee completely loses mobility.
First-degree osteoarthritis of the knee joint can be diagnosed by the short-term pain that occurs when a person walks.There is no noticeable deformity that can be detected during the examination, and the x-ray also does not provide the necessary amount of information about the condition of the joints to make an accurate diagnosis.
If the disease is detected in a timely manner and appropriate treatment is started, the process of destruction of cartilaginous tissue can be completely stopped and diseased areas can even be restored.
Is it possible to cure 2nd degree osteoarthritis?Treatment at stage 2 of the development of arthrosis is aimed at eliminating unpleasant symptoms and slowing down the degenerative-dystrophic process.In this case, it is not always possible to restore the tissue, but it is possible to keep what remains intact.
Is it possible to cure 3rd degree osteoarthritis?When arthrosis reaches the 3rd stage of development, attempts to slow down the destructive process and bone damage most often do not bring results, the disease quickly acquires the 4th stage of development (some experts, for this very reason, distinguish only three stages of development of this disease).
In case of serious changes in the structure of the joint, it is necessary to use a prosthesis;This method of surgical correction is called endoprosthesis.
In some cases, surgical intervention is also used in stage 2 gonarthrosis.In this case, a minimally invasive arthroscopic operation is performed, removing dead tissue, as well as pieces of damaged cartilage, through a small incision.With the help of this operation, the range of motion increases, pain symptoms and inflammation disappear.But we must remember that the treatment does not end there.This operation will help alleviate the unpleasant symptoms of the disease for several years.
Carrying out treatment
Is it possible to cure arthrosis of the knee joint?Treatment of any disease can be carried out in three main areas:
- etiotropic – elimination of the root causes of the injury;
- symptomatic – relief of the main symptoms;
- pathogenetic – intervention in the disease progression process.
To carry out effective treatment or at least prevent the development of osteoarthritis, it is important:
- activate the blood supply process and improve tissue condition;
- compensate for the lack or excess of enzymes in the body;
- give the body everything it needs to reproduce cartilaginous tissue;
- restore the volume and composition of synovial fluid.
Many physiotherapeutic procedures and topical ointments lead to improved tissue nutrition and normalization of blood supply.During electrophoresis, tissues can be saturated with special enzymes.But the main way to treat this disease is to take chondroprotectors.Recently, hyaluronic acid injections have been predominantly used to treat osteoarthritis.Biological treatment methods are considered more aggressive.
Use of chondroprotectors
Is it possible to completely cure osteoarthritis?For complete treatment, chondroprotectors are suitable - medicines that include natural components of cartilage tissue or their synthetic analogues, which lead to the synthesis of certain components or inhibit their degradation.
Chondroprotectors can be found in the following forms:
- tablets, capsules and powders for oral administration;
- solutions for intramuscular injections;
- special ointments for external use.
Medicines for external use should be used as additional treatment in complex therapies.
Is it possible to cure deforming osteoarthritis?First you need to consider the features of treatment with chondroprotectors:
- many chondroprotectors help eliminate severe pain and inflammation, but this is not the main benefit of taking them;for symptomatic therapy, it is better to use more affordable NSAIDs;
- therapeutic measures have a special effect in phases 1 and 2 of the development of the disease, when the cartilage has not yet been destroyed to an extreme state;
- during treatment, it is important to take a long and systematic course of medication;after each course you need to take a break;one course includes 6 months, so treatment continues for years.
If the patient is prone to osteoarthritis in the knees, they should start taking chondroprotectors in advance for prevention purposes, before the first signs of the disease appear.Chondroprotectors cannot be called a panacea, as they protect cartilage and do not restore its condition.Osteoarthritis is much easier to prevent than starting treatment later.
The main difficulty of treatment
Is it possible to cure osteoarthritis forever?The main difficulty with treatment is that to date, no medications have been developed that could permanently and completely eliminate osteoarthritis.But it is important to remember that there are quite effective comprehensive treatment methods that help eliminate pain and slow down the progression of the disease.
Osteoarthritis of the hip joint
Arthrosis of the hip joint is a degenerative-dystrophic process during which the cartilaginous structures covering the surface of the femoral head, as well as the acetabulum, are damaged.To keep the cartilage in good condition, it is important to determine whether osteoarthritis of the hip joint can be cured.
Drug treatment
There are numerous ways to treat this disease.Most often, the treating specialist prescribes a whole complex that includes many therapeutic measures.
Is it possible to cure arthrosis of the hip joint?For arthrosis of degrees 1 and 2, the use of medications for treatment is allowed.The most effective medications in this case are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, vasodilators, which improve blood supply to the joints, relax muscles and help eliminate spasms.
Chondroprotectors are also used, which help preserve cartilaginous tissue.At the first and second stages of lesion development, experts allow the use of local agents: patches, applications, ointments and gels - they will stimulate normal blood circulation.
It is important to remember that without effective and timely treatment, arthrosis of the hip joint can provoke ankylosis.Ankylosis is a complete fusion of the femur and pelvis.In this case, the leg completely loses mobility in the joint.
Arthrosis of the ankle joint
Can osteoarthritis of the ankle joint be cured?Before treating ankle osteoarthritis, it is important to make an accurate diagnosis.Most of the time, a doctor can establish an accurate diagnosis by examining the patient's foot or taking an x-ray.
Depending on the stage of evolution of the disease, the specialist will choose the most appropriate treatment.Even before consulting a specialist, the patient must significantly reduce the load on the diseased joint, avoid hypothermia, as well as overstrain.The doctor prescribes comprehensive treatment to the patient: physiotherapy, balneotherapy, painkillers and medications to stimulate blood circulation.
In addition, ankle therapy can be carried out on an outpatient basis, in a hospital setting, with the prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.Difficulties with treatment may arise if the patient is obese.It is important that this patient eats properly, not only during the treatment itself, but also after it.
gym exercises
Gymnastics for ankle arthrosis is allowed only after the main symptoms of the disease have completely disappeared.A set of exercises and loads on the foot must be created together with the specialist responsible for the treatment.
Any gymnastic exercise during osteoarthritis must strain the ligaments and muscles of the joint without overloading the joints themselves, otherwise it can be very dangerous.
Is it possible to cure joint osteoarthritis?A gymnastics course in the treatment of osteoarthritis will not require the patient to spend money, buy expensive medicines or devices, but the patient will have to be patient and hardworking to complete the course accurately.
Shoulder problems
Some injuries can lead to the appearance of an inflammatory or degenerative process in the joints.The most common causes of shoulder osteoarthritis are:
- severe physical stress on the shoulder joint during work, resulting in active wear of its components;
- receive a shoulder injury;
- shoulder dysplasia;
- changes in hormone production;
- problems with blood supply to joint tissues, which leads to the appearance of vascular pathologies;
- natural wear and tear of cartilage, typical of the elderly.
What is common in this case is the inflammation process, accompanied by painful symptoms.The causes of such damage are different;they may be associated with injury, infection, or disruption of certain body systems.
Most often, the appearance of arthritis requires additional external influence: stress, hypothermia, organ infection, open wound infection, immune response to infection.
When determining a disease, the doctor pays attention to the degree of the disease, the patient's main complaints and the results of various tests.The main diagnostic measure is a biochemical blood test, which helps to confirm the presence of inflammation and, in some cases, determine its nature.
Another important study is the X-ray, which helps to determine the location of the joint deformation at an early stage of its appearance.
Is it possible to cure arthrosis of the shoulder joint?In the presence of arthrosis of the first two degrees, exclusively conservative treatment is used.And only in the case of a complicated form of the disease is surgery prescribed.
Basic conservative treatment methods:
- take medications;
- treatment with traditional methods;
- physiotherapeutic measures;
- sanitary resort treatment;
- massages;
- acupuncture;
- physiotherapy;
- special diet.
Before starting therapy, it is important to provide complete rest to the damaged joint, which is much easier to do if the arthrosis is widespread in the shoulder area.The easiest treatment is considered to be the first stage of the disease, when scarring changes have not yet occurred and the tissue still maintains its regenerative capacity.
But in the presence of this form of damage, discomfort, as a rule, does not manifest itself strongly, the pain is mild, which is why the patient takes a long time to seek medical help.In the future, after the end of treatment, the patient should also follow a gentle regimen.