Throughout life, a person is exposed to various environmental factors.He does not always eat correctly and rationally, often has bad habits, moves little or, on the contrary, experiences excessive physical exertion.Of course, for the body the influence of this negative state does not pass without consequences.All internal organs and systems suffer, including bone and joint structures, the damage of which can sometimes be very serious.
Many people suffer from joint diseases, and the cause of pathology is factors such as injuries, infections, age-related changes, autoimmune processes or a combination of them.If the disease affects the lower part, in particular the knee joint, then a person's motor activity is reduced to a maximum, performance is impaired, and social adjustment deteriorates.This negative consequence is particularly noticeable in the case of knee arthrosis, or gonarthrosis, which can result in knee joint disease of any origin.
Characteristics of the disease
The knee joint is constantly under increased physical stress, providing a wide range of human motor activities, so its healthy condition and function are extremely important.But inflammatory processes in joint tissue (arthritis), metabolic and dystrophic disorders or traumatic injuries, especially if treatment is started late, can lead to the development of a very dangerous disease called arthrosis of the knee joint, or gonarthrosis.
This pathology has a progressive course and is most often diagnosed in old age, which is associated with the accumulation of negative multifactorial effects on the body.However, gonarthrosis can also develop in younger people, especially after a serious injury.
The disease goes through three stages, which are characterized by certain symptoms and have different levels of ability to "respond" to treatment methods.This is how gonarthrosis develops (each stage is expressed by the degree of pathological changes and destruction of the corresponding knee joint):
- With the first stage of arthrosis of the knee joint, the degenerative-dystrophic process begins in the cartilage layer.
- Stage 2 pathology is characterized by the progressive destruction of cartilage tissue, which is accompanied by the growth of bone structural reactions with the appearance of so-called osteophytes.At this stage a person begins to experience knee pain and difficulty moving, so the diagnosis of gonarthrosis in most cases occurs at the second stage of joint destruction.
- Grade 3 is the almost complete absence of the cartilage layer or the presence of individual small fragments.As a result, a severe deformity of the knee is formed, mobility is lost (which leads to the disability of the patient), there is maximum physical and psychological discomfort, as well as intense pain.Due to the active participation of bone tissue in the pathological process, arthrosis is often called osteoarthritis, and is caused by the formation of an X or O-shaped curvature in the lower part of the leg - deforming osteoarthritis, or DOA.
Each stage and level of the disease is expressed by increasing the destructive process in the joint, which determines both the therapeutic approach and the choice of the most effective method.
In addition, therapeutic tactics are also strongly influenced by the form of the disease, which is identified during the diagnostic process.Therefore, to achieve the most possible positive treatment results, it is important to distinguish the following types of gonarthrosis:
- primary, develops mainly in old age against the background of degenerative changes and becomes bilateral;
- secondary, formed on the background of articular pathology or after injury (for example, as a result of extensive bleeding in the joint capsule, hemarthrosis of the knee joint can develop, the treatment of which has its own characteristics).The secondary form is most often unilateral and is diagnosed at any age.
The role of traditional medicine in the treatment of arthrosis
As mentioned above, with arthrotic changes in the joints, a very serious destruction process occurs.They can begin with inflammation, the body's autoimmune response, metabolic disorders, or traumatic injury.Unfortunately, gonarthrosis is a chronic pathology and continues to develop, which, however, does not mean that no method can affect the painful process that stops or slows down its development.
As the disease progresses and moves from stage to stage, the effects of provocation and predisposing factors continue.Therefore, the treatment of knee arthrosis, regardless of its origin, should be aimed primarily at them.Therefore, in the acute or mild form of the inflammatory process, anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids or non-hormonal, are needed.Steroids also have a suppressive effect on the immune system, which is very necessary, along with other groups of immunosuppressants, in the case of arthrosis of autoimmune origin.The initial stages of the destruction of hyaline cartilage can still be slowed down by introducing chondroprotective agents into the patient's body, which can partially restore its integrity and function.
This method of treating arthrosis of the knee joint, which is a certain group of drugs and drug therapy in general, is in the first place, excluding cases of severe gonarthrosis, when only surgical interventions such as endoprosthetics take primary importance.Also, with a conservative approach, physiotherapy, physical therapy, and massage are effective.What is the role of treating arthrosis of the knee joint with folk remedies and how effective are they?
Traditional treatment refers to the effect on the human body of natural means, that is, natural, original, as well as low or high air temperature and various humidity parameters.In this case, the effect is performed locally on a specific area of the skin or on the entire area, through the digestive tract or through the respiratory tract.Of course, the most acceptable of these can be considered the local use of folk remedies for arthrosis, when lotions or compresses prepared from plant materials are applied to the knee area.
Meanwhile, other methods to influence the patient's body can also be used if allowed by the attending physician.Why not warm up in the village bathhouse and inhale the life-giving juniper "spirit" there to restore your defenses and stimulate your immune system?Or not to use decoctions of herbs and berries or fruit drinks that contain a large amount of vitamins and biologically active substances, which have an excellent effect on all internal organs, not only on the joint system?
In general, the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint with folk remedies, even if it does not directly affect the cause and source of the pathology, pursues certain goals that are no less important than drug therapy:
- maintain immunity in a satisfactory condition;
- provides a local anti-inflammatory effect on joint structures;
- slight stimulation of the regeneration process;
- additional positive effects on other internal organs and systems.
Therefore, the treatment of deforming arthrosis of the knee joint with folk remedies, as well as this type of pathology, is always included in a comprehensive and strict individual treatment regimen.It plays the role of an additional and supplementary method, which also traditionally has great psychological importance for patients.The use of all kinds of folk remedies, even at a very serious stage of gonarthrosis, when there is almost no real therapeutic help, can still improve a person's psycho-emotional mood, raise his spirits and inspire hope for recovery.And the psychological perception of the disease and its causes, as is known, underlies the psychosomatic approach to therapy, which cannot be ignored.
However, it is better not to use this well-known traditional medical treatment on its own, without taking into account the required dose, the frequency of the dose and the duration of the course.It is important that the treatment of gonarthrosis of the knee joint with folk remedies, its intensity and the choice of certain methods are approved or recommended by a specialist.Only a doctor who deals with joint diseases can know exactly how to treat arthrosis of the knee joint with folk remedies, at what stage it is necessary to do this and at what stage it is practically ineffective.
It is a specialist in the field of joint diseases or in the field of treatment with folk remedies who can give patients the following recommendations:
- Before using the method for the first time, be sure to consult a doctor;
- before including the medicinal product in the treatment regimen, carry out a tolerance test (for external use) - apply the ointment or solution to the skin of the forearm, leave it for 1-2 hours and see the result (if there is no change, then you can use it safely);
- do not make medicine for future use, as much as possible - for 1-2 days (with the exception of products containing ethyl alcohol), comply with the storage rules;
- strictly adhere to the dosage, frequency of administration and duration of the course;
- If an adverse reaction occurs, you must immediately stop using the method and consult a doctor.
Every doctor knows that the earlier therapy is started, the more successful the results.This fully applies to gonarthrosis: using a conservative approach, including a folk one, makes sense at stage 1-2 pathology.In the third stage, when the hyaline cartilage in the joint no longer exists and when persistent osteo-fibrous deformation has formed, it can no longer cure the disease completely, and the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint with folk remedies will only perform a supportive psychological function.
Traditional medicine methods
To relieve pain, reduce swelling in the knee area and thus help restore joint function, some of the most common methods and recipes are used.The raw material for them is taken only from natural origin, which can be prepared independently or bought in a pharmacy.
The following methods are mainly used in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint:
- compress;
- ointments and poultices;
- decoctions and infusions;
- medicated bath.
When using a compress, the effect of the combination of plant material and high temperature, created by the insulating layer, is important.All types of compresses are best used at night, when the knee joint is resting, and 7-8 hours while the person is sleeping will be enough to provide the maximum possible therapeutic effect.As a rule, compresses are made once a day, for 7-10 days, after a while the course can be repeated.
Various components are used as raw materials for compresses: gelatin, dead bees, iodine, horseradish, kefir, potatoes, propolis with salt, oats.But the most common are vodka and cabbage leaves.A piece of cloth soaked in vodka or a cabbage leaf rubbed by hand is applied to the knee, then the leg is covered with a film and tied with a warm cloth.All heating compresses have an analgesic, anti-inflammatory effect and reduce swelling.
Homemade ointments and poultices are good for providing a local anesthetic effect.For example, equal numbers of chamomile flowers, burdock root and calendula inflorescences are crushed and mixed with petroleum jelly to form a paste-like mass.This ointment is used 4-5 times a day when the patient is disturbed by severe pain.
To support the body in the fight against arthrosis, you can use decoctions of medicinal herbs: lingonberry, calendula, St. wort.John's wort, chamomile.The drink is prepared for one day, because its properties are lost during storage.On the other hand, alcohol tinctures can be stored for a long time, and their properties only improve.They can be prepared from elecampane root, dandelion, and golden mustache stem.
A warm bath with rope or chamomile, as well as with the addition of sea salt, perfectly relaxes the muscles, relieves pain and swelling.After them, patients noted an improvement in the general condition and mobility of their knees.Therapeutic baths are used once a day, preferably at night.
Patient reviews
Each patient, after asking for help, receives from the doctor a treatment regimen for osteoarthritis of the knee joint, which also includes traditional methods.As a rule, the effects of its use are positive, here are some of them:
- Woman, 58 years old: "I have suffered from gonarthrosis deformation for almost 10 years, I carry out treatment continuously. My doctor always says that joints like warmth, so I use warm compresses on my knees in a certain pattern. They really relieve the pain and help me move."
- Man, 61 years old: "My mother also uses fir oil for joint pain. Now, having bilateral arthrosis in my knees, I use her experience. I rub the oil well into my knees, wrap them in a warm scarf and sleep."
- Woman: 50 years: "I would like to recommend a recipe for an ointment for arthrosis, which helped me a lot. You need to grind 5-6 bay leaves, grind 1 teaspoon of pine needles or juniper berries and mix it with 100 g of butter. Rub it on the painful joints before going to bed. Gradually the pain and swelling disappear."
Therapy for gonarthrosis always takes a long time and requires perseverance and patience.It is important to follow all the doctor's instructions and regularly use alternative treatment courses.Only in this case, positive results will be noticeable.