Osteoarthritis of the hip, shoulder, knee and ankle joints is a disease that occurs as a result of the wear and tear of cartilage tissue, as well as the 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 causes problems with motor functions, partial or complete immobility and disability.It is important to determine if osteoarthritis can be cured without surgery.
Definition of injury
Knee joint disease occurs more often in women;It can happen for many reasons.Older people experience osteoarthritis of the knee joint more often than others.
If osteoarthritis treatment is not started in time, the bones that make up 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 osteoarthritis, but it will help slow down the process of deformation of the knee joint and stop degeneration.Early identification of the injury and appropriately formulated treatment will help avoid negative consequences and a state of 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.
- Diseases of the veins.
- Diabetes and other injuries associated with metabolic disorders.In this case, it will be difficult to get rid of osteoarthritis, since the use of all medications and physical procedures is not allowed.
- Excess weight: People with weight problems experience osteoarthritis much more often than people with a normal body weight.
- Adolescence: It is at this time when a person's metabolism and hormonal levels change, leading to a degenerative process.
- Carrying a child - at this time, the woman gains weight, as a result of which the load on the knee increases significantly.Hormonal levels are altered, which contributes to the appearance of knee osteoarthritis.
- Changes in the body associated with the patient's age.
- Receive certain injuries.About 30 percent of knee osteoarthritis is due to injury.The injury leads to a change in the normal structure of the tissue, which triggers 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 treating 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 arises 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 osteoarthritis, it is important to avoid possible injuries, bruises and fractures.This applies to a greater extent to those who play 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 to avoid dangerous injuries.
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 different joints.
Main stages of the disease.
Osteoarthritis can be divided into four different stages depending on its development.The more advanced the stage, the more difficult the process of treating and relieving symptoms will be:
- in the first stage, the symptoms are mild, but the process of tissue destruction is already rapidly spreading;
- the destruction of cartilage continues, which leads to a decrease in leg mobility in the joint area and is accompanied by severe pain;
- in this case, the cartilage tissue thins, the bones that make up the joints begin to actively grow and become 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 cope with the pressure exerted on it and the leg at the knee level completely loses its mobility.
First degree osteoarthritis of the knee joint can be diagnosed by the brief pain that occurs when walking.There is no notable 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 time and appropriate treatment is started, the process of destruction of cartilage tissue can be completely stopped and even the diseased areas can be restored.
Is it possible to cure second degree osteoarthritis?Treatment at stage 2 of the development of osteoarthritis 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 what remains intact can be preserved.
Is it possible to cure third degree osteoarthritis?When osteoarthritis reaches the third stage of development, attempts to slow down the destructive process and bone damage often do not give results, the disease quickly acquires the fourth 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 relieve the unpleasant symptoms of the disease for several years.
Carrying out the treatment
Is it possible to cure osteoarthritis of the knee joint?Treatment of any disease can be carried out in three main directions:
- etiotropic – elimination of the root causes of the injury;
- symptomatic – relief of main symptoms;
- pathogenic – intervention in the process of disease progression.
To carry out effective treatment or at least stop the development of osteoarthritis, it is important:
- activate the blood supply process and improve the condition of tissues;
- compensate for the lack or excess of enzymes in the body;
- give the body everything it needs to reproduce cartilage tissue;
- Restore the volume and composition of synovial fluid.
Many physiotherapeutic procedures and topical ointments lead to better nutrition of tissues and normalization of their 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 are 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 - drugs that include natural components of cartilage tissue or their synthetic analogues, which lead to the synthesis of certain components or inhibit their decomposition.
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 should consider the characteristics 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 on stages 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 it is necessary to take a break;One course includes 6 months, so the treatment continues for years.
If a patient is prone to the onset of knee osteoarthritis, then he should start taking chondroprotectors in advance for preventive purposes, before the first signs of the disease develop.Chondroprotectors cannot be considered a panacea, since they protect cartilage and do not restore its condition.Osteoarthritis is much easier to prevent than to start treatment later.
The main difficulty of treatment.
Is it possible to cure osteoarthritis forever?The main difficulty of treatment is that to date no medications have been developed that can 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
Osteoarthritis of the hip joint is a degenerative-dystrophic process during which the cartilaginous structures that cover 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 a large number of ways to treat this disease.Most often, the treating specialist prescribes a complete complex that includes many therapeutic measures.
Is it possible to cure osteoarthritis of the hip joint?For osteoarthritis of grade 1 and 2, the use of medications for treatment is allowed.The most effective drugs in this case are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and vasodilators, which improve blood supply to the joints, relax muscles and help eliminate spasms.
Chondroprotectors are also used, which help preserve cartilage tissue.At the first and second stages of lesion development, experts allow the use of local agents: patches, applications, ointments and gels, which will stimulate normal blood circulation.
It is important to remember that without effective and timely treatment, osteoarthritis of the hip joint can lead to ankylosis.Ankylosis is a complete fusion of the femur and pelvis.In this case, the leg completely loses its mobility in the joint.
Osteoarthritis of the ankle joint.
Can osteoarthritis of the ankle joint be cured?Before treating ankle osteoarthritis, it is important to make an accurate diagnosis.In most cases, a doctor can establish an accurate diagnosis by examining the patient's foot or taking an x-ray.
Depending on the stage of development of the disease, the specialist will choose the most appropriate treatment.Even before visiting a specialist, the patient should significantly reduce the load on the diseased joint, avoid hypothermia and overload.The doctor prescribes comprehensive treatment to the patient: physiotherapy, balneotherapy, pain relievers and drugs to stimulate blood circulation.
Additionally, ankle therapy can be performed on an outpatient basis, in a hospital, with the prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.Difficulties with treatment may arise if the patient is obese.It is important for such a patient to eat properly not only during treatment, but also after it.
gymnastics exercises
Gymnastics for ankle osteoarthritis is allowed only after the main symptoms of the disease have completely disappeared.A set of exercises and loads for the foot must be developed together with the treating specialist.
Any gymnastic exercise during osteoarthritis must strain the ligaments and muscles of the joint without overloading the joints, otherwise it can be very dangerous.
Is it possible to cure osteoarthritis of the joint?A gymnastics course in the treatment of osteoarthritis will not require the patient to spend money, buy expensive medications or devices, but he will have to be patient and hardworking to accurately complete the course.
Shoulder problems
Some injuries can cause 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;
- receiving a shoulder injury;
- shoulder dysplasia;
- changes in hormone production;
- problems with blood supply to the joint tissues, which leads to the appearance of vascular pathologies;
- Natural wear of cartilage, typical of older people.
What is common in this case is the inflammation process, accompanied by pain symptoms.The causes of such damage are different;They may be associated with injuries, infections or alterations of certain body systems.
Most often, the onset of arthritis requires additional external influences: stress, hypothermia, infection of organs, infection through an open wound, 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 a series of examinations.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 X-rays, which help determine the location of the joint deformation at an early stage of its appearance.
Is it possible to cure osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint?In the presence of osteoarthritis of the first two degrees, exclusively conservative treatment is used.And only in case of a complicated form of the disease is surgery prescribed.
Basic methods of conservative treatment:
- taking medications;
- treatment with traditional methods;
- physiotherapeutic measures;
- spa treatment;
- massages;
- acupuncture;
- physiotherapy;
- special diet.
Before starting therapy, it is important to ensure complete rest of the damaged joint, which is much easier to do if osteoarthritis is widespread in the shoulder area.The simplest treatment is considered to be the first stage of the disease, when no changes have yet occurred in the scars and the tissue still retains its regenerative capacity.
But in the presence of this form of damage, unpleasant sensations, as a rule, do not manifest themselves strongly, the pain is mild, so it takes a long time for the patient to seek help from a doctor.In the future, after the end of treatment, the patient will also need to observe a gentle regimen.