Osteoarthritis is the progressive non-inflammatory destruction of articular cartilage.
As a result of degenerative-dystrophic changes, the joint gradually loses its functions, flexion-extension movements become difficult and then completely impossible.
Joints are movable joints of bones. The human body contains more than 200 such joints, which provide all types of movements of the bone skeleton. Free sliding in them is carried out thanks to the smooth surfaces of hyaline cartilage and synovial lubrication.
With osteoarthritis, the hyaline cartilage becomes thinner and gradually collapses, becomes rough, and synovial lubrication becomes insufficient for free gliding. As a result, friction occurs, which impedes the movement of the joint and leads to its progressive destruction.
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common degenerative dystrophic diseases of the musculoskeletal system. They affect more than 30% of people between 45 and 65 years of age and more than 65% of people over 65 years of age. The incidence has a pronounced age dependence.
Most often, the disease affects large joints - knee (gonarthrosis), hip (coxarthrosis) and shoulder. Of the small joints, the joints of the hands, feet and spine are most affected.
In a late stage of the disease, ankylosis (complete immobilization) of the joint occurs. In this case, only surgical treatment is possible - removal and replacement with an endoprosthesis.
In stages 1 to 3 of arthrosis, conservative treatment is possible, the purpose of which is to slow down and stop the destruction of the joint, gradual restoration of cartilaginous tissue, improvement of functions (mobility), increase in range of motion, relief of pain symptoms and inflammation .
In the clinic, these objectives are achieved through the integrated use of reflexology, herbal medicine and physiotherapy methods from oriental medicine.
Causes of osteoarthritis
The cause of the disease is the predominance of wear of hyaline cartilage over the process of its regeneration. This means that articular cartilage wears down and is destroyed under stress faster than it can recover.
This happens due to the action of two factors – increased loads and/or slow recovery.
For the regeneration of hyaline cartilage, collagen is necessary, which is produced in the body with the participation of the liver.
This organ not only participates in the synthesis of collagen, necessary for joints, but is also responsible for the level of body heat.
From a medical point of view, the cause of all colds, including osteoarthritis, is a decrease in body heat. This can happen, in particular, due to insufficient liver function.
All arthrosis belongs to degenerative dystrophic diseases. Its development begins with dystrophy, that is, tissue starvation due to insufficient blood supply.
To constantly regenerate, articular cartilage needs collagen, a universal building material for connective tissue. This protein substance is synthesized in the body and enters the joints with the blood.
If the blood supply is interrupted for some reason, hyaline cartilage lacks collagen. The regeneration process in them slows down. In this case, the joints that support the maximum load – knees, ankles, hips and shoulders – are those that suffer the most. The articular cartilage begins to gradually wear away and collapse.
When the cartilage is destroyed, its fragments break and move freely in the joint cavity (the so-called "rats"), causing pinching, blockages, further limiting movement and increasing pain.
Another cause of the disease may be collagen deficiency due to insufficient synthesis of this substance in the body. This may be due, for example, to functional insufficiency of the liver, which actively participates in this synthesis.
Provoking factors for the development of the disease can be:
- overweight,
- unhealthy diet
- heavy physical work, intense sports,
- trauma, multiple microtraumas,
- cold exposure
- age-related changes (dehydration) in the body,
- congenital anomalies (dysplasia, weakness of connective tissues, etc. ).
Classification
Arthrosis that develops against the background of metabolic disorders is called primary.
Secondary arthrosis occurs against the background of inflammatory processes (arthritis, including autoimmune), endocrine diseases or injuries.
Some of the most common forms of the disease have their own names - gonarthrosis (knee joint), coxarthrosis (hip joint), spondyloarthrosis (spine).
With increased inflammation, the disease is diagnosed as arthrosis-arthritis.
There are four stages in the development of the disease.
Arthrosis of the 1st stage is manifested by periodic pain and slight narrowing of the joint space.
Stage 2 of the disease means a noticeable narrowing of the joint space, limited range of motion, formation of bone growths (osteophytes) and joint deformation.
Stage 3 arthrosis means almost complete disappearance of the joint space, limitation of range of motion to a minimum, joint deformation, involvement of periarticular tissues and bones (osteoarthrosis, periarthrosis).
In the 4th stage, complete immobilization (ankylosis) occurs, the joint space completely disappears.
Osteoarthritis symptoms
Like many other degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the musculoskeletal system, arthrosis develops gradually.
Symptoms may be absent for a long time, although changes in cartilaginous tissue, volume and properties of synovial lubrication have already begun.
Symptoms of stage 1 osteoarthritis are increased joint fatigue, small pains that occur after physical activity or at the beginning of movements after long periods of immobility (so-called "initial" pain), after which the joint develops. The range of flexion-extension and rotation movements is not limited and there are no difficulties during the movements.
In stage 2, joint pain becomes more intense and lasts longer, occurring even with small loads. When moving, a creak or creak is heard. Flexion, extension, rotation movements become difficult, their volume is increasingly limited. Rigidity develops.
In the 3rd stage of osteoarthritis, joint pain becomes constant. Movements in the joint are made with great difficulty, their volume is reduced to a minimum. The joint is severely deformed due to bone growth and increase in size. When the leg joints are affected, severe lameness occurs.
In stages 2-3 of the disease, inflammation often occurs with symptoms such as swelling, redness, increased pain and local fever.
Pain in arthrosis can intensify with weather changes, dampness, cold, at night, at the beginning of movement or during physical activity, as well as when the joint is blocked with a mouse.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of arthrosis is carried out on the basis of examination, external examination and hardware methods (X-ray, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging).
During the interview, the doctor studies the medical history, asks the patient about the symptoms, the circumstances of their appearance and exacerbation.
At the initial consultation in the outpatient clinic, the doctor, as a rule, asks the patient not only about the symptoms of arthrosis, but also about the nature of nutrition and lifestyle, since in oriental medicine the human body is considered a single system . In this unified system there are internal relationships.
For example, the condition of the joints closely depends on the metabolism, immune, hormonal systems and the movement of body fluids, body mass index.
Modern medicine classifies osteoarthritis as a cold disease that develops in a context of energy depletion of the body, decreased heat levels and accumulation of cold. The main factors in this case are inadequate nutrition, sedentary lifestyle, exposure to cold and humidity.
During an external examination, the doctor pays attention to the size, shape of the joints, range of motion, as well as signs of inflammation - swelling, redness, local increase in temperature.
After examining and interviewing the patient, the doctor sends him for additional examinations - x-ray, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.
On an x-ray, the doctor observes a narrowing of the joint space, which indicates thinning of the cartilage. Based on the degree of narrowing, it determines the stage of osteoarthritis.
An X-ray image clearly shows osteophytes - growths along the edges of bones that form during arthrosis.
The x-ray visualizes the bone tissue well, but shows the connective and soft structures poorly. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides much more information.
Using a tomogram, the doctor can examine in detail the condition of the hyaline cartilage, as well as the synovial bursa, the joint capsule and detect joint "rats", damage to the meniscus and ligaments.
To study the blood supply to the joint, angiography with a contrast agent (radiography, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging) is prescribed.
Osteoarthritis treatment
In stage 4 of arthrosis, surgical treatment is used, the joint is removed and replaced with an endoprosthesis. In stages 1 to 3 of the disease, conservative treatment is carried out.
- Medication.Drug therapy is used to alleviate symptoms and slow the progression of the disease. In the presence of an inflammatory process, hormonal (glucocorticoids) or non-steroidal medications (NSAIDs based on ibuprofen, diclofenac, etc. ) are prescribed. Typically, these medications are administered by injection into the joint or intramuscularly. To slow down the process of destruction of articular cartilage, chondroprotectors are prescribed.
- Joint injections.To reduce friction and improve sliding, hyaluronic acid is injected into the joint cavity, whose molecules have the ability to retain moisture. Hyaluronic acid injections protect cartilage surfaces from drying out and slow down their destruction.
In the presence of severe inflammation and swelling, injections of hormonal drugs into the joint cavity are used. - Operation.Surgical treatment of osteoarthritis consists of replacing the joint with an endoprosthesis. Such interventions are indicated in the 4th stage of the disease with ankylosis (complete immobility).
- Physiotherapy.To relieve inflammation, physiotherapy methods such as laser therapy, magnetic therapy and administration of medications by current (electrophoresis) or ultrasound (phonophoresis) are used.
Applications of mud, compresses and heating improve local blood circulation, promote healing and restoration of cartilaginous tissue and relieve pain. - Other treatments.To prevent arthrosis, in addition to an auxiliary method of treatment, exercise therapy (physiotherapy) is prescribed. Regularly performing simple exercises improves the blood supply to the joint, increases its mobility and range of motion.
Hot baths can be used to warm a painful joint and relieve symptoms. Balneological treatment for osteoarthritis includes remedies such as mud or radon baths.
Is important!
Chondroprotectors do not affect the causes of osteoarthritis. Essentially, these are not therapeutic agents, but rather prophylactic ones. They contain chondroitin and glucosamine, which act by increasing the amount of lubrication (synovial fluid) and facilitating sliding. Reducing friction slows the destruction of cartilage, but does not restore it.
In order not only to slow down the development of the disease, but also to reverse it, it is necessary to improve blood supply, activate the processes of metabolism and tissue regeneration. Chondroprotectors don't do that. Therefore, they can be used as auxiliaries, but not as substitutes for complete treatment.
Treatment of osteoarthritis in a specialized clinic
In the clinic, the treatment of stage 1 to 3 arthrosis is carried out using phyto, physio and reflexological methods of oriental medicine. Positive results are achieved in more than 90% of cases of treatment for this disease.
Complex treatment sessions include several procedures (moxibustion therapy, acupressure, acupuncture, etc. ), which mutually enhance the effect according to the principle of synergy.
Treatment at the clinic aims to eliminate the cause of osteoarthritis, which guarantees long-lasting and long-lasting results.
Joint diseases refer to disorders of the basis of Bad Kan - one of the body's three control systems, whose balance means health and whose imbalance means disease. In addition to the joints, this base is responsible for the lymphatic system, body fluids, immunity, hormones and metabolism.
A Bad Kan imbalance often causes not one, but several illnesses at the same time. Therefore, osteoarthritis is almost always accompanied by concomitant disorders, diseases such as, for example, overweight (obesity), chronic respiratory diseases, allergies and/or immunodeficiency conditions, endocrine disorders, hormone-dependent gynecological diseases (in women), etc.
Modern treatment restores the balance of the Bad Kan base as a whole and thus eliminates the common cause of all these diseases. Therefore, along with arthrosis, other concomitant diseases also occur.
In the treatment of osteoarthritis, the doctor works not only on the area of the affected joint, but also on the body as a whole, in order to restore balance to the base of Badk-an. This is the secret of the high effectiveness of osteoarthritis treatment in our clinic.
Tszyu or moxo therapy.
This procedure consists of simultaneously or sequentially heating bioactive points with an absinthe cigar or smoking cones (absinthe or charcoal). Ju therapy is the main treatment for osteoarthritis in alternative medicine. It is used both locally, in the area of the affected joint, and in the body's meridians to restore balance to the Bad Kan base and the body as a whole.
This procedure has a complex effect: it improves blood circulation, stimulates blood flow, activates and accelerates the restoration and renewal of connective tissues, improves the properties and normalizes the volume of synovial lubrication, and has an anti-inflammatory and metabolic effect.
Acupuncture.
The introduction of medical needles into bioactive points has anti-inflammatory, decongestant, analgesic effects and promotes the outflow of inflammatory fluid.
The impact on the bioactive points of the liver meridian helps to improve the functioning of this organ and activate collagen synthesis in the body.
The impact on the bioactive points of the kidneys helps to improve blood circulation in the lower part of the body with gonarthrosis, coxarthrosis and other arthrosis of the legs.
Acupressure.
Strong point pressure improves local circulation, increases blood flow, accelerates metabolic processes and tissue regeneration, eliminates muscle tension and spasms. Acupressure on the body's meridians (Ku-nye) increases the body's overall energy level.
Phytotherapy.
For arthrosis, various herbal remedies are prescribed that accelerate metabolism, increase the level of body heat, accelerate the body's recovery processes, have an anti-inflammatory effect and improve the functioning of the liver and kidneys.
Auxiliary means.
Hirudotherapy, stone therapy, manual therapy and shock wave therapy are used as auxiliary means.
Hirudotherapy has an anti-inflammatory effect and improves blood circulation.
Hot stone therapy increases body heat levels.
Shock wave therapy (SWT) improves local blood circulation, accelerates healing and restoration of the joint.
With the help of manual therapy, the doctor relieves the painful joint, increases range of motion and mobility.
Diet for osteoarthritis
For osteoarthritis, hot and heated meals are recommended.
Warm foods such as fish, lamb, poultry, seafood, pumpkin, liver, nuts, as well as garlic, onion, ghee and sesame oil are recommended.
To increase the energy value of food, you should definitely consume spices (ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper, saffron, coriander, asafoetida, etc. ).
Hot dishes containing a lot of animal connective tissue, for example broths rich in bones and meat, are useful.
You should exclude cold foods, cold drinks, reduce the consumption of refreshing foods such as sugar, butter, milk and dairy products, confectionery, citrus fruits, raw vegetables and leafy salads, semolina and legumes.
Osteoarthritis prevention
To prevent arthrosis, factors that provoke an imbalance at the base of Bad Kan should be avoided - refreshing nutrition, sedentary lifestyle (sedentary lifestyle), exposure to cold, dampness.
Warming nutrition, physical activity, in particular walking, outdoor games and physiotherapy exercises are helpful.
Frequently Asked Questions About Osteoarthritis
Are vitamin complexes useful for osteoarthritis?
Vitamin complexes influence metabolic processes in general. But they do not have any specific, preventive or therapeutic effect on joint diseases. To maintain general health and body balance, the vitamins contained in food are sufficient, as long as adequate nutrition is provided.
Is there always inflammation with osteoarthritis?
No, not always. Osteoarthritis can be accompanied by arthritis, but the inflammation is secondary. Therefore, the use of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) for arthrosis does not always help and is often useless.
Is heat good for joints?
Warming up for osteoarthritis helps improve blood circulation and is generally beneficial. But only in the absence of an acute inflammatory process. For arthritis, thermal and warming procedures are contraindicated.
How long does osteoarthritis treatment last?
Typically, a course of treatment in a rehabilitation clinic consists of 10-15 complex sessions, carried out every other day, and takes 21-30 days. After that there is a 6 month break. Six months later, an examination is carried out, on the basis of which a decision is made to undergo a second course of treatment to improve and consolidate the results.