Arthrosis of the hip, shoulder, knee and ankle joints is a disease that occurs as a result of wear and tear of cartilage tissue, as well as deformation of bones.In this case, the patient feels pain of different intensity (depending on the form of the disease).As a result, the disease causes motor function problems, partial or complete immobility and disability.It is important to determine whether arthrosis can be cured without surgery.
Definition of damage
Knee joint disease occurs most often in women;This can happen for many reasons.Older people suffer from arthrosis in the knee joint more often than others.
If the treatment of arthrosis is not started in time, the bones forming the joint will be exposed and damaged.In this case, it will be impossible without surgical intervention.When the first unpleasant symptoms appear, it is important to consult a doctor as soon as possible.It will not be able to completely eliminate arthrosis, but it will help to slow down the process of deformation of the knee joint and stop the degeneration.Early identification of damage and properly formulated treatment will help to avoid negative consequences and early disability.
What are the common causes of knee arthrosis and is it possible to cure the disease?The main reasons include:
- flat feet.
- Vein diseases.
- Diabetes and other injuries related to metabolic disorders.In this case, it will be difficult to get rid of arthrosis, since the use of all medications and physical procedures is not allowed.
- Overweight - people with weight problems have arthritis much more often than people with a normal body weight.
- Adolescence - this is the time when human metabolism and hormonal levels change, which leads 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.The hormonal level is disturbed, which contributes to the occurrence of knee arthrosis.
- Changes in the body associated with the patient's age.
- receiving certain injuries.About 30 percent of knee osteoarthritis is due to trauma.The damage causes a change in the normal structure of the tissue, which leads to the process of destruction.
- Regular physical activity on the lower legs, which the body has not adapted to.
- The beginning of the inflammatory process in the body.
- Hereditary tendency.
- The onset of cramps in the muscle tissues of the thigh.
The disease can be cured only in case of contact with a medical specialist.In this case, it is forbidden to start any kind of treatment.Only a specialist will be able to prescribe effective therapy, which includes physiotherapy and medication.
Preventive measures
It is important to remember about preventive measures even before the main disease is detected.Arthrosis can be divided into two types.The first occurs due to a violation of the metabolic process in the body, as well as due to the age characteristics of the patient.
The second type occurs as a result of trauma or infection.To prevent the second type of arthrosis, it is important to avoid possible injuries, bruises and fractures.This applies more to those who are engaged in any sport or dance.For such people, such an illness 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 for them to be careful not to get dangerous injuries.
The main factor that will help prevent arthrosis of the deformed knee joint is mobility.Moderate exercise is the best way to prevent arthritis.This is especially important for people whose work activities mainly involve sedentary work.It is important to remember that in this case we are talking about a moderate load on different joints.
The main stages of the disease
Osteoarthritis can be divided into four different stages according to its development.The more advanced the stage, the more difficult the treatment process and symptom relief will be:
- At the first stage, the symptoms are mild, but the tissue destruction process is already spreading rapidly;
- destruction of the cartilage continues, which causes a decrease in the mobility of the leg in the joint area and is accompanied by severe pain;
- In this case, the cartilaginous tissue thins, the bones forming the joints begin to actively grow and get damaged;
- At the last stage of the disease, the cartilage is almost completely destroyed, bone deformation causes a change in the axis of the diseased limb, and the joint stops the pressure exerted on it, and the leg at the knee completely loses its mobility.
Arthrosis of the knee joint of the first degree can be determined by short-term pain that occurs when walking.There is no noticeable deformation that can be detected during the examination, and the radiograph does not provide the necessary information about the condition of the joints to make an accurate diagnosis.
If the disease is detected in time and proper treatment is started, the process of destruction of the cartilage tissue can be completely stopped and the diseased areas can even be restored.
Is it possible to cure arthrosis of the 2nd degree?Treatment at the 2nd stage of arthrosis development is aimed at eliminating unpleasant symptoms and slowing down the degenerative-dystrophic process.In this case, it is not always possible to restore the fabric, but you can save what remains intact.
Is it possible to cure 3rd degree arthrosis?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 (for this reason, some experts distinguish only three stages of the 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 at the 2nd stage of gonarthrosis.In this case, a minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery is performed, removing dead tissue and 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 to remove the unpleasant symptoms of the disease for several years.
Conducting treatment
Is it possible to cure knee arthrosis?Treatment of any disease can be carried out in three main directions:
- Etiotropic - elimination of the root causes of damage;
- Symptomatic – relief of main symptoms;
- Pathogenetic - intervention in the process of disease progression.
In order to carry out effective treatment or stop the development of arthrosis, it is still important:
- activation of the blood supply process and improvement of tissue condition;
- compensating the lack or excess of enzymes in the body;
- Give the body everything it needs to reproduce cartilage tissue;
- Restores the volume and composition of synovial fluid.
Many physiotherapeutic procedures and local ointments improve tissue nutrition and normalize their blood supply.During electrophoresis, tissues can be saturated with special enzymes.But the main way to treat such a disease is to take chondroprotectors.Recently, hyaluronic acid injections are mainly used for the treatment of arthrosis.Biological treatment methods are considered more aggressive.
Use of chondroprotectors
Is it possible to cure arthrosis completely?For complete treatment, chondroprotectors are suitable - drugs that include natural components of cartilage tissue or their synthetic analogues, which cause the synthesis of certain components or prevent their breakdown.
Chondroprotectors are 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 an additional treatment in complex therapy.
Is it possible to cure deformity arthrosis?First of all, you should 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 better to use more affordable non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- Therapeutic measures have a special effect in the 1st and 2nd stages of the disease development, when the cartilage is not yet destroyed in an extreme state;
- During treatment, it is important to conduct a long, systematic course of medication;After each course, you should rest;One course covers 6 months, so the treatment lasts for years.
If the patient is prone to knee arthrosis, then he should start taking chondroprotectors for prevention, 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.Preventing arthrosis is much easier than starting treatment.
The main difficulty in treatment
Is it possible to cure arthrosis forever?The main difficulty in treatment is that until now there is no drug developed that will permanently and completely eliminate arthrosis.But it is important to remember that there are quite effective comprehensive treatment methods that help to get rid of 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 it is possible to cure arthrosis of the hip joint.
Treatment with drugs
There are many ways to treat this disease.Most often, a medical specialist prescribes the whole complex, which includes many therapeutic measures.
Is it possible to cure arthrosis of the hip joint?In the case of arthrosis of the 1st and 2nd degree, the use of medication is allowed for treatment.In this case, the most effective drugs are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, vasodilators, which improve the blood supply to the joints, relax the muscles and help eliminate spasms.
Chondroprotectors are also used to help preserve cartilage tissue.In the first and second stages of the development of damage, experts allow the use of local agents: patches, applications, ointments and gels - they 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 hip and pelvis.In this case, the leg completely loses its mobility in the joint.
Arthrosis of the ankle joint
Can ankle arthrosis be cured?Before treating ankle arthrosis, it is important to make an accurate diagnosis.Most often, 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 select the most appropriate treatment.Even before visiting a specialist, the patient should significantly reduce the load on the affected joint, avoid hypothermia, as well as overload.The doctor prescribes comprehensive treatment to the patient: physiotherapy, balneotherapy, painkillers and blood circulation stimulating drugs.
Also, 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.For such a patient, it is important to eat properly not only during the treatment itself, but also after it.
Gymnastics exercises
In case of ankle arthrosis, gymnastics is allowed only after the main symptoms of the disease have completely passed.A set of leg exercises and loads should be drawn up together with a medical specialist.
In arthrosis, any exercise should stress the joint ligaments and muscles without overloading the joints, otherwise it can be very dangerous.
Is it possible to cure arthrosis of the joint?A course of gymnastics in the treatment of arthrosis does not require the patient to spend money, buy drugs or expensive equipment, but the patient will have to be patient and work hard to complete the course accurately.
shoulder problems
Some injuries can cause inflammatory or degenerative processes in the joints.The most common causes of shoulder arthrosis are:
- heavy physical load on the shoulder joint at work, resulting in active wear of its components;
- getting a shoulder injury;
- shoulder dysplasia;
- changes in hormone production;
- problems with blood supply to the tissues of the joints, which leads to the manifestation of vascular pathologies;
- Natural wear and tear of cartilage, which is characteristic of older people.
In this case, an inflammatory process accompanied by pain symptoms is common.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 an additional external influence: stress, hypothermia, organ infection, infection through an open wound, immune response to infection.
When diagnosing 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 helps to confirm the presence of inflammation and in some cases determine its nature.
Another important study is X-ray, which helps to determine the location of joint deformation in the early stages 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 case of a complicated form of the disease, surgery is prescribed.
The main methods of conservative treatment:
- taking medication;
- treatment with traditional methods;
- Physiotherapy measures;
- sanitary resort treatment;
- massages;
- acupuncture;
- physiotherapy;
- special diet.
Before starting therapy, it is important to ensure complete rest of the affected joint, which is much easier if arthrosis is widespread in the shoulder area.The easiest treatment is considered the first stage of the disease, when scar changes have not yet occurred and the tissue still retains its regenerative capacity.
But in the presence of this form of damage, unpleasant sensations are usually not manifested strongly, the pain is mild, so the patient is too late to seek help from a doctor.In the future, after the end of the treatment, the patient will also have to follow a gentle regimen.