Osteoarthritis of the hip, shoulder, knee and ankle joints is a disease that occurs due to wear and tear of the cartilage tissue and 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 problems with motor functions, partial or complete immobility and disability.It is important to clarify whether osteoarthritis can be cured without surgery.
Definition of lesion
Knee joint diseases occur most often in women;it can occur for many reasons.Older people are more likely than others to develop osteoarthritis in the knee joint.
If treatment for osteoarthritis is not started in a timely manner, the joint-forming bones become 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 see a doctor as soon as possible.This cannot completely eliminate osteoarthritis, but it will help slow down the deformation process of the knee joint and stop degeneration.Early detection of the lesion and properly formulated treatment help avoid negative consequences and early disability status.
What are the most common causes of osteoarthritis of the knee joint and can the disease be cured?The main reasons include:
- Flat feet.
- Venous diseases.
- Diabetes and other lesions associated with metabolic disorders.In this case, it will be difficult to get rid of arthrosis, since not all medications and physical procedures are allowed to be used.
- Overweight – People with weight problems suffer from osteoarthritis significantly more often than people with normal body weight.
- Adolescence – at this time, a person's metabolism and hormone levels change, leading 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 occurrence of knee osteoarthritis.
- Changes in the body associated with the patient's age.
- Suffering certain injuries.Around 30 percent of all knee osteoarthritis is due to injury.An injury leads to a change in the normal structure of the tissue, which triggers the process of destruction.
- Regular physical activity on the lower legs to which the body has not adapted.
- The beginning of the inflammatory process in the body.
- Hereditary predisposition.
- The appearance of cramps in the muscle tissue of the thigh.
The disease can only be cured if you contact a treating specialist.In this case, it is forbidden to start treatment on your own.Only a specialist can prescribe effective therapy, which includes physiotherapy and medication.
Preventive measures
It is important to think about preventative measures before the underlying disease occurs.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 patient's age characteristics.
The second type occurs as a result of an injury or infection.To prevent the second type of osteoarthritis, it is important to avoid possible injuries, bruises and fractures.This applies more to those who play sports or dance.For such people, such an illness often becomes work-related 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 seriously injure themselves.
The main factor that helps avoid arthrosis of the deformed knee joint is mobility.The best prevention against osteoarthritis is moderate exercise.This is particularly important for people whose work activities consist predominantly of sedentary work.It is important to remember that in this case we are talking about a moderate load on various joints.
Main stages of the disease
Depending on how it progresses, osteoarthritis can be divided into four different stages.The more advanced the stage, the more difficult the treatment process and symptom relief will be:
- in 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 cartilage tissue is thinned, the joint-forming bones begin to actively grow and are damaged;
- At the final 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, the joint can no longer withstand the pressure exerted on it, and the leg at the knee completely loses mobility.
First degree arthrosis of the knee joint can be diagnosed by short-term pain that occurs when walking.No noticeable deformities are visible during the examination and the x-ray does not provide the necessary information about the condition of the joints to make an accurate diagnosis.
If the disease is recognized in a timely manner and appropriate treatment is initiated, the process of destruction of cartilage tissue can be completely stopped and the diseased areas can even be restored.
Is it possible to cure grade 2 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 you can preserve what remains intact.
Is it possible to cure grade 3 osteoarthritis?When arthrosis reaches the 3rd stage of development, attempts to slow down the destructive process and bone damage usually do not show any results, the disease quickly reaches the 4th stage of development (for this reason, some experts distinguish only three stages of development of this disease).
If there are serious changes in the joint structure, the use of a prosthesis is necessary;This method of surgical correction is called endoprosthetics.
In some cases, surgical intervention is also used in stage 2 of gonarthrosis.In this case, minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery is performed, in which dead tissue and damaged pieces of cartilage are removed 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 here.This operation will help relieve the unpleasant symptoms of the disease for several years.
Carrying out a treatment
Is it possible to cure osteoarthritis of the knee joint?Treatment of any disease can occur in three main areas:
- etiotropic – elimination of the root causes of the lesion;
- symptomatic – relief of the main symptoms;
- pathogenetic – intervention in the process of disease progression.
In order to carry out effective treatment or at least stop the development of arthrosis, 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.
- Restoration of 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 be saturated with special enzymes.However, the main way to treat such a disease is to take chondroprotectors.Hyaluronic acid injections have recently been used to treat osteoarthritis.Biological treatment methods are considered more aggressive.
Use of chondroprotectors
Is a complete cure for osteoarthritis possible?For complete treatment, chondroprotectors are suitable - drugs that contain natural components of cartilage tissue or their synthetic analogues, which lead to the synthesis of certain components or inhibit their breakdown.
Chondroprotectors come 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 therapy.
Is it possible to cure osteoarthritis deformans?First of all, you need to consider the features of treatment with chondroprotectors:
- Many chondroprotectors help relieve severe pain and inflammation, but this is not the main benefit of taking them;For symptomatic therapy, it is best to use cheaper NSAIDs;
- therapeutic measures bring a special effect in stages 1 and 2 of the development of the disease, when the cartilage is not yet destroyed in an extreme state;
- During treatment, it is important to take medication for a long time and systematically.after each course you must take a break;A course lasts 6 months, so treatment continues for years.
If a patient is prone to the occurrence of arthrosis of the knees, for prevention he should start taking chondroprotectors in advance, before the first signs of the disease appear.Chondroprotectors cannot be called a panacea, since they protect cartilage and do not restore its condition.Osteoarthritis is much easier to prevent than to start treatment afterwards.
The main difficulty of treatment
Is it possible to permanently cure osteoarthritis?The main difficulty of treatment is that to date no drugs have been developed that could permanently and completely eliminate arthrosis.However, it is important to remember that there are very effective comprehensive treatment methods that help relieve pain and slow the progression of the disease.
Osteoarthritis of the hip joint
Osteoarthritis of the hip joint is a degenerative-dystrophic process in which the cartilage structures that cover the surface of the femoral head and the acetabulum are damaged.In order to keep the cartilage in good condition, it is important to clarify whether osteoarthritis of the hip joint can be cured.
Treatment with medication
There are a variety of ways to treat this disease.Most often, the treating specialist prescribes a whole complex that includes many therapeutic measures.
Is it possible to cure osteoarthritis of the hip joint?In cases of osteoarthritis grades 1 and 2, medication may be used to treat it.The most effective drugs in this case are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, vasodilators, which improve blood circulation in the joints, relax muscles and help eliminate spasms.
Chondroprotectors are also used, which help maintain cartilage tissue.In the first and second stages of lesion development, experts allow the use of local active ingredients: plasters, applications, ointments and gels - they stimulate normal blood circulation.
It is important to remember that arthrosis of the hip joint can provoke ankylosis without effective and timely treatment.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 ankle osteoarthritis be cured?Before treating ankle osteoarthritis, an accurate diagnosis is important.In most cases, a doctor can make 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 must significantly reduce the load on the diseased joint and avoid hypothermia and overload.The doctor prescribes a comprehensive treatment for the patient: physiotherapy, balneotherapy, painkillers and drugs to stimulate blood circulation.
Ankle therapy can also be carried out on an outpatient basis in a hospital with the prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.If the patient is overweight, difficulties in treatment may arise.It is important for such a patient to eat properly not only during the treatment itself, but also after it.
Gymnastics exercises
Gymnastics for ankle arthrosis is only allowed after the main symptoms of the disease have completely subsided.An exercise and stress set for the foot should be put together together with the treating specialist.
Gymnastics exercises for osteoarthritis should stress the ligaments and muscles in the joint without overloading the joints themselves, otherwise it can be very dangerous.
Is it possible to cure osteoarthritis of the joint?A gymnastics course for the treatment of arthrosis does not require the patient to spend money, purchase medications or expensive equipment, but the patient must be patient and diligent to complete the course correctly.
Shoulder problems
Some injuries can lead to the start of an inflammatory or degenerative process in the joints.The most common causes of shoulder osteoarthritis are:
- strong physical stress on the shoulder joint during work, which leads to active wear of its components;
- suffer a shoulder injury;
- shoulder dysplasia;
- changes in hormone production;
- Problems with blood supply to joint tissues, leading to the occurrence of vascular diseases;
- natural wear and tear of cartilage that is typical for older people.
In this case, an inflammatory process often occurs, which is accompanied by pain symptoms.The causes of such damage vary;They may be associated with injury, infection, or disruption of certain body systems.
Most often, the occurrence of arthritis requires additional external influences: stress, hypothermia, infection of organs, infection through an open wound, immune response to the infection.
When determining a disease, the doctor pays attention to the degree of the disease, the patient's main complaints and the results of several examinations.The main diagnostic measure is a biochemical blood test, which helps confirm the presence of inflammation and, in some cases, determine its type.
Another important examination is X-ray examination, which helps to determine the location of the joint deformation at an early stage of its occurrence.
Is it possible to cure osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint?If osteoarthritis is present in the first two degrees, only conservative treatment is used.And only in a complicated form of the disease is surgery prescribed.
Basic methods of conservative treatment:
- taking medication;
- treatment with traditional methods;
- physiotherapeutic measures;
- sanitary spa treatment;
- massages;
- Acupuncture;
- physiotherapy;
- special diet.
Before starting therapy, it is important to completely protect the damaged joint, which is much easier with widespread arthrosis in the shoulder area.The simplest treatment is the first stage of the disease, when no scarring changes have occurred and the tissue has still retained its ability to regenerate.
But with this form of damage, the unpleasant sensations are usually not very noticeable, the pain is mild, so the patient only sees a doctor very late.In the future, the patient will also have to follow a gentle regimen after the treatment has ended.