Osteoarthritis of the hip, shoulder, knee and ankle is a disease that occurs as a result of the wear and tear of cartilage tissue, as well as the deformation of the 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 motor problems, partial or complete immobilization and disability. It is important to determine if osteoarthritis can be cured without surgery.
Definition of defeat
Disease of the knee joint occurs most often in women, and there are many reasons that can lead to its occurrence. Older people are more likely to have osteoarthritis of the knee joint.
If treatment for osteoarthritis is not started in time, the bones forming the joints will be exposed and they will be damaged. In this case, it will not be possible to do without surgery. When the first unpleasant symptoms appear, it is important to see 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 the degeneration. Early identification of the injury and correct treatment can help avoid negative consequences and early disability status.
What are the common causes of osteoarthritis of the knee joint and can the disease be cured? The main reasons include:
- Flat foot.
- Diseases of the veins.
- Diabetes and other disorders associated with metabolic disorders. It will be difficult to get rid of osteoarthritis in this case, since not all drugs and physiotherapy are allowed.
- Overweight - people with weight problems suffer from osteoarthritis much more often than people with normal body weight.
- Adolescence - this is when a person's metabolism and hormonal background changes, which leads to a degenerative process.
- Carrying a child - at this stage a woman gains weight, which significantly increases the load on the knee part. The hormonal background is disturbed, which contributes to the appearance of osteoarthritis of the knees.
- Changes in the body associated with the age of the patient.
- Get some injuries. About 30% of osteoarthritis of the knee is due to injury. The injury leads to a change in the normal structure of the tissue, which provokes the process of destruction.
- Regular physical activity on the lower legs, which the body has not adapted to.
- The beginning of the inflammation process in the body.
- Hereditary predisposition.
- The appearance of cramps in the thigh muscles.
It is only possible to cure the disease if you contact a treating specialist. In this case, it is forbidden to start any treatment yourself. Only a specialist will be able to prescribe effective therapy, which will include physiotherapy and drugs.
Preventive measures
It is important to remember preventive measures even before the onset of the underlying disease. 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 osteoarthritis, it is important to avoid possible injuries, bruises, fractures. To a greater extent, this applies to those who are involved in any type of sport or dance. For such people, such a disease often turns professional and no longer allows them to do what they love. This also applies to children who are very active and behave carelessly in the street; it is important that they behave with caution so as not to injure themselves dangerously.
The main factor that will help prevent osteoarthritis of the deforming knee joint is mobility. Moderate exercise is the best way to prevent osteoarthritis. This is especially important for people whose professional activities are mainly associated with sedentary work. It is important to remember that in this case this is a moderate load on different joints.
The main stages of the disease
Developmental osteoarthritis can be divided into four distinct stages. The more advanced the stage, the more difficult it will be to treat and relieve the symptoms:
- 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 syndrome;
- cartilage tissue in this case is thinned, the bones forming the joints begin to actively develop and be damaged;
- at the last stage of the development of the disease, the cartilage is almost completely destroyed, the deformation of the bones leads to a change in the axis of the diseased limb, while the joint ceases to withstand the pressure on it, and the leg in theknee completely loses its mobility.
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint of the first degree can be diagnosed by short-term pain that occurs when a person walks. There is no noticeable deformity that can be detected on the exam, and the x-ray also does not provide the amount of information needed about the condition of the joints to make an accurate diagnosis.
If the disease is detected in time and full-fledged treatment begins, the process of destruction of cartilage tissue can be completely stopped, and diseased areas can even be restored.
Can grade 2 osteoarthritis be cured? Treatment in 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 you can keep what is left intact.
Is it possible to cure grade 3 osteoarthritis? When osteoarthritis reaches the 3rd degree of development, attempts to slow down the destructive process and bone damage most often do not bring any results, the disease quickly acquires the 4th degree of development (some experts, for this reason, do not distinguishthe 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 a stent.
In some cases, surgery is also used in stage 2 of knee osteoarthritis. At the same time, a minimally invasive arthroscopic operation is performed, removing dead tissue through a small incision, as well as pieces of damaged cartilage. With the help of such an operation, the range of motion increases, pain symptoms and inflammation disappear. But you have to remember that the treatment doesn't end there. Such an operation will help relieve the unpleasant symptoms of the disease for several years.
Treatment
Can osteoarthritis of the knee be cured? Treatment of any disease can be carried out in three main areas:
- etiotrope - removal of the root causes of the lesion;
- symptomatic - relief of the main symptoms;
- pathogenic - interference in the progression of the disease.
In order to achieve effective treatment, or at least to suspend the development of osteoarthritis, it is important:
- activate the process of blood supply and improve the condition of tissues;
- compensate for the lack or excess of enzymes in the body;
- give the body everything it needs for the reproduction of cartilage tissue;
- restore the volume and composition of synovial fluid.
Many physiotherapeutic procedures and topical ointments lead to improved nutrition of tissues and normalization of their blood supply. During electrophoresis, tissues can become saturated with special enzymes. But the main way to treat such a disease is to take chondroprotectors. Recently, hyaluronic acid injections have been used primarily for the treatment of osteoarthritis. And biological treatment methods are considered more aggressive.
The use of chondroprotectors
Can osteoarthritis be completely cured? For comprehensive treatment, chondroprotectors are suitable - drugs containing natural components of cartilage tissue or their synthetic analogues, which lead to the synthesis of certain components or inhibit their breakdown.
Chondroprotectors can be found in the following forms:
- tablets, capsules and powders for oral administration;
- solutions for intramuscular injection;
- special ointments for external use.
Medicines for external use should be used as a complementary treatment in complex therapy.
Can deforming osteoarthritis be cured? First you need to consider the features of treatment with chondroprotectors:
- many chondroprotectors help get rid of severe pain and inflammation, but this is not the main advantage of taking them, for symptomatic treatment it is better to use more affordable NSAIDs;
- therapeutic measures bring a special effect in 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 follow a long, systematic course of drugs, after each course it is necessary to take a break; a course consists of 6 months, so the treatment lasts for years.
If the patient is prone to the onset of osteoarthritis of the knees, then he should start taking chondroprotectors in advance in order to prevent, before the first signs of the disease develop. Chondroprotectors cannot be called a panacea, because they protect the cartilage and do not restore its condition. Osteoarthritis is much easier to prevent than starting treatment afterwards.
The main difficulty of treatment
Can Osteoarthritis Be Cured Forever? The main difficulty in treatment is that so far no drug has been developed to permanently and completely eliminate osteoarthritis. But it is important to remember that there are quite effective complex treatment methods that help get rid of pain and slow down the process of the disease.
Osteoarthritis of the hip
Osteoarthritis of the hip joint is a degenerative-dystrophic process in which the cartilage structures covering the surface of the femoral head, as well as the acetabulum, are damaged. To keep cartilage healthy, it is important to determine whether osteoarthritis of the hip can be treated.
Medical treatment
There are many ways to treat this disease. Most often, the attending specialist prescribes a whole complex, which includes a lot of therapeutic measures.
Can osteoarthritis of the hip be cured? With osteoarthritis of 1 and 2 degrees, it is allowed to use drugs for treatment. The most effective drugs in this case are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, vasodilator drugs, which improve blood supply to the joints, relax muscles and help eliminate spasms.
Chondroprotectors are also used to help preserve cartilage tissue. At the first and second degree of development of the lesion, experts allow the use of topical agents: plasters, applications, ointments and gels - they stimulate normal blood circulation.
It is important to remember that without effective and prompt treatment, osteoarthritis of the hip joint can cause ankylosis. Ankylosis is a complete fusion of the femur and pelvis. In this case, the leg completely loses its mobility in the joint.
Ankle osteoarthritis
Can osteoarthritis of the ankle be cured? Before treating osteoarthritis of the ankle, it is important to make an accurate diagnosis. Most often, the doctor can make an accurate diagnosis either by examining the patient's foot or by means of an x-ray.
Depending on the stage of development of the disease, the specialist will choose the most suitable treatment. Even before consulting a specialist, the patient should significantly reduce the load on the diseased joint, avoid hypothermia and overload. The doctor prescribes complex treatment to the patient: physiotherapy, balneotherapy, taking painkillers, as well as means to stimulate blood circulation.
In addition, ankle therapy can be carried out on an outpatient basis, in a hospital with the appointment of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Treatment difficulties may arise if the patient is obese. It is important for such a patient to eat well not only during the treatment itself, but also after it.
Gymnastic exercises
Gymnastics with arthritis of the ankle is allowed only after the main symptoms of the disease have completely disappeared. A set of exercises and loads on the foot should be compiled together with the attending specialist.
Any gymnastic exercise during osteoarthritis should strain the ligaments and muscles of the joint, without overloading the joints themselves, otherwise it can be very dangerous.
Can osteoarthritis of the joint be cured? The gymnastics course in the treatment of osteoarthritis will not require the patient to spend money, buy expensive drugs 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 onset of an inflammatory or degenerative process in the joints. Most often, the following reasons lead to arthritis of the shoulder:
- intense physical exertion on the shoulder joint at work, leading to active wear and tear of its components;
- injure your shoulder;
- shoulder joint 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 older people.
In this case, the inflammation process is common, accompanied by painful symptoms. The reasons for this injury are different, they can be associated with trauma, infection, or disruption of the work of certain body systems.
Most often, for the appearance of arthritis, additional external influence is required: stress, hypothermia, infection of organs, infection with an open wound, immune response to the resulting infection.
When determining the disease, the doctor pays attention to the degree of the disease, the main complaints of the patient and the results of a number of examinations. The main diagnostic measure is a biochemical blood test, which can confirm the presence of inflammation and, in some cases, determine its nature.
Another important study is the x-ray, which helps to determine the place of joint deformity at an early stage of its onset.
Is it possible to cure osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint? In the presence of osteoarthritis of the first two degrees, only conservative treatment is used. And only with a complicated form of the disease an operation is prescribed.
The main methods of conservative treatment:
- to take pills;
- treatment with folk methods;
- physiotherapy activities;
- health treatment;
- massages;
- acupuncture;
- physiotherapy;
- special diet.
Before starting treatment, it is important to provide complete rest to the damaged joint, which is much easier to do if osteoarthritis is extensive in the shoulder area. The simplest treatment is considered the first stage of the disease, when scar changes have not yet occurred and the tissue has retained its ability to regenerate.
But in the presence of such a form of injury, the discomfort, as a rule, does not manifest itself strongly, the pain is weak, so the patient is slow to seek help from a doctor. In the future, after the end of treatment, the patient will also need to follow a savings plan.